The Sleeping Schedule
by In a Quandary
Summary: Married life with six Sekirei is more complicated than I had ever imagined. The fact that one of them is a neither a guy nor a girl (and both at the same time) does not make things easier. Post-Sekirei Plan. Canon pairings: Minato/Kagari, Minato/Harem
1. Reflections of Six Feathers

**Title:** The Sleeping Schedule

**Genre:** Romance / Drama / Slice of life

**Pairing(s):** Minato x Kagari, Minato x Harem

**Rating:** M

**Warning:** Contains profanity and open discussion of sexual matters, as well as elements of slash.

**A/N: **This story is a romantic drama that takes place four years after the Sekirei Plan, focusing on the development of Minato's relationship with Kagari. It will be written entirely from Minato's POV (first person). While Minato's other Sekirei have their feelings reciprocated to some degree (except Kusano due to her extreme youth), Kagari does not. (The manga, if you have yet to read it, provides sound canonical evidence for his romantic attraction towards Minato in the later chapters.)

I want to explore the possibility of romance between him and Minato, but in a realistic way that takes into account their man-to-man relationship as well as the complication of Kagari's changing gender identity. Though Kagari starts off in the series as a cis male, the ongoing feminisation of his body does eventually affect his personality and subsequent behaviour towards Minato. Based on Minato's interpretation of Kagari's gender, I will still refer to Kagari by the male pronoun, though the exact position where he falls on the gender spectrum can get a little murky. I should also mention that my interpretation of Kagari's biological sex is that of a true hermaphrodite, meaning he has both functional male and female reproductive organs.

Also, many thanks to Amputation, who volunteered to be my beta.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Sekirei.

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**Introduction – Reflections of Six Feathers**

The conclusion of the Sekirei Plan was four years in the past, now.

By some inexplicable stroke of luck – or the guidance of the gods, as my Sekirei put it – we had survived that ordeal intact, if rather worse for wear. Had I known the enormity of what was to befall us, I'd probably have acted like any sensible Ashikabi would have and made the decision to flee with my remaining Sekirei. Unlike other ill-fated pairings, we had the power and resources to brute-force our way out of the tournament. But what would running have accomplished (aside branding me as the most abominable of cowards in Tsukiumi's eyes)?

So we stayed and fought for our future: a future in which humans and Sekirei were free.

In the end, it had been our combined courage, love and belief in each other that saw us through. Kamikura Island had been torn asunder in the final clash, and we had emerged from its ruins broken and battered, but we still had one another. That was all that mattered. '_Ikuhisashiku_' – forever and ever – was the vow we had sworn, and none of us had been willing to break it, whatever the cost.

The aftermath was a slow recovery process. As one, we'd returned to Maison Izumo – the place we'd called home for a year – and tried to put the pieces of our lives back together. Some of the pieces did not fit as well as they used to. After all, Sekirei were born to fight, not carry out dreary, mundane human existences. Now that the Sekirei Plan had ended, even the reason to fight had been stripped away, leaving my Sekirei at a loss of what to do with themselves.

Nevertheless, we were resilient and found ways to adapt. Day by day, step by step, we made our way forward into our future.

Our first step involved getting legal recognition for our marriages. Thanks to the MBI's shenanigans and the ominous visage of Kouten in the sky, the Sekirei Plan had become widespread knowledge across the capital. Any Ashikabi walking down the street with a posse of Sekirei automatically drew the eyes of bystanders, but the sight itself was not uncommon. The reality of this phenomenon had been further enforced by MBI's amendment to marriage laws, allowing for polygamous unions between Ashikabi and multiple Sekirei.

While we had no desire to be indebted to the mega-corporation, I was glad for this amendment. Social acceptance in Japan was hard to come by for any relationship outside the archetypal heterosexual model of a man and a woman. For a man married to several wives, the only outcome would be a blackened reputation and ousting from society. It was small recompense for the trauma we had suffered at their hands, but the MBI's intervention ensured that I was able to continue my life as the Ashikabi of my six beloved Sekirei.

So, some three weeks after things had settled down, we paid a visit to the registry office (to finally register Tsukiumi's status as legal wife, among others). The authentication process was simple: Sekirei would have their crests examined by an expert, and the Ashikabi would provide further evidence of the union by kissing their Sekirei and exposing their wings. One by one, my Sekirei had stepped up to reveal their crests, sealing the deal – as it were – with a kiss from me. (While the others were only too eager to receive their kiss, Kagari had blushed throughout the whole incident and refused to look at me afterwards.)

With the legalities of my rather… eccentric relationships sorted out, I signed up for college exams again, passing this time thanks to my newfound confidence. It seemed like an eternity ago that I sought to gain entrance to the prestigious Shintou Teito University. Having experienced life-and-death situations during that thrice-forsaken Sekirei Plan, reaching this pinnacle now felt so… insignificant, like an arbitrary goal every student in Japan set out to achieve. What did getting good scores have to do with protecting the ones you love?

But I had a family to provide for, which meant I needed a reliable source of income. Since the engineering field not only contained good career prospects but also catered to my love of maths and physics, I decided to enrol for a mechanical engineering degree. The next three years passed by in a haze of eating, studying, working part-time, mingling with my Sekirei, and if busyness allowed for it, sleeping. Finally, I graduated with top scores, and went on to become a civil engineer.

During the time I'd plugged away at my studies, Musubi had embraced her love of running and took up a job as a door-to-door mailperson. It'd baffled her employers that she could prove more efficient than people with transport; more than once they had remarked about how she could be a professional athlete with 'speed like that'. The brighter ones among us had promptly dissuaded her from this course of action. Spirited as she was, Musubi never had understood the art of restraint, and a series of indisputable wins would only draw unwanted attention to her and to our family. Fortunately, she was happy to proceed as before, carrying out her everyday tasks with a contentment known only to those simple of heart and mind.

Kusano – or Kuu-chan, as we called her – was the youngest amongst my Sekirei, and had reached the age to start attending the local kindergarten. I remember her first day well – it was a particularly heart-wrenching occasion. Being so accustomed to having familiar faces around her, Kuu-chan couldn't bear to part with me. Her huge, watery eyes and plaintive cries of "Onii-chan!" tore at my heart even as I stepped further and further away, assuring her that I would return by the day's end. When I'd finally returned, she flew into my arms, her tears drenching the front of my sweater. In response, I'd cradled her tight against my chest, murmuring promises that I would always be there for her.

Things gradually eased after that, with Kuu-chan slowly becoming less anxious with each separation. However, she showed little interest in her studies save for botany classes or outdoor education, where she could walk amongst her beloved plants. Other complications arose when her Sekirei heritage asserted itself, manifesting in accelerated intellectual, psychological and physical development. She was miles ahead of the other children by the time the semester ended, and we were forced to change facilities (and eventually schools) as not to draw attention to her.

Truth be told, I still don't know what Matsu did with herself in these intervening years. Insofar as I could tell, she remained her reclusive genius self, locking herself away in her room and hacking her way into the information systems of her choice. (Any further explanation on her part just went over my head.) She would emerge from her foxhole to join the rest of us for dinner and gossip, as well as the occasional molestation attempt. (The last never made it past Miya's vigil, much to the relief of myself and my five other jealous Sekirei.)

Considering how little I saw of her, it hadn't sat right with me to leave her to her own devices. So one day I approached her with a peace offering – a game of chess in exchange for her best behaviour. (Chess is one of my hobbies; I was a regional tournament winner back in my prime.) She'd pouted at the terms, but was otherwise delighted. Her ability to calculate the permutations of every move was nothing short of breathtaking, assuring her victory even within the move itself. I did manage to win a handful of our games, but I suspected that she'd allowed those 'victories' if only to keep from discouraging me entirely.

Tsukiumi? She'd placed herself under Miya's tutelage with the intention of preparing herself as the official housewife. She was devoted to her role, immersing herself in every practical task pertinent to managing a household. She would sketch out weekly budgets, conduct shopping trips for groceries and household items, clean the place, research options for breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, hone her cooking skills ("I will make the best food that Minato has ever tasted, mark my words"), and plan activities and outings around our work schedules. She'd even gone as far to make plans for our future children (to my bafflement and growing dread, though I found myself hard-pressed to curb her enthusiasm). It perplexed me how a woman so proud and regal could be so domestic, but that was Tsukiumi for you.

Perhaps it had something to do with her affinity for wind and its ever-changing nature, but Kazehana had adapted the most easily of all of us. She gave up (some of) her drunkard ways and took up the pen. The bulk of her writing comprised of erotic fiction, often featuring a superhuman buxom seductress, a meek, kind-hearted college dropout and a tale of destined love. Much to my dismay, the resemblance between her fictional characters and certain real-life ones had often hit a little too close to home. Even so, Kazehana had a gift for the literary arts, and little by little, her popularity grew and her titles filled the bookshelves.

Indeed, her popularity had reached the point where Kazehana started to accumulate some stock at home. While Matsu had taken to reading the material with glee, my other Sekirei were less amused. Kagari had given a book the cursory glance-through before setting it alight, an expression of disgust on his face. True to her oblivious nature, Musubi had kept asking for definitions of the more… questionable vocabulary, eliciting grimaces and flushes of embarrassment all around. Worst of all, Kuu-chan had demanded that I read the books to her as bedtime stories. I had been saved from replying when Tsukiumi stormed into the room with a drenched volume in hand, declaring all-out war on Kazehana. The Wind Sekirei had simply brushed her off with lascivious laughter and a wink in my direction. (I was sick for a week, having caught a cold in the dousing match that ensued.)

Then Miya had decided to step in and confiscate the books, stating that "all media containing descriptions of lewd or illicit sexual acts are not allowed at Maison Izumo". Said books met their end in a funeral pyre (courtesy of a very satisfied-looking Kagari). While Matsu had looked on with a kicked-puppy expression, Kazehana's serene smile did not waver even as her precious literature had disintegrated into ashes. She'd later assured me that she had 'more books concealed in secret places', and that I was welcome to 'tap into those secret places' if I so desired. (Much nose-bleeding followed.)

This brought me to my sixth and final Sekirei, Kagari. Although he was arguably the most adjusted of my Sekirei to human life, he had to overcome serious obstacles to reintegrate into society.

I confess I didn't – and still don't – know the whole of it. (Kagari's reticence about the subject hadn't helped, that's for certain.) Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that his body was feminised, but couldn't be changed back. Or that Japanese society required people to conform to either binary gender – man or woman – and forced him to pick one of the two. Or that he simply hadn't wanted to go through the inconvenience of concealing his female characteristics. Whatever his reasons, Kagari had chosen to relinquish his entire past life – including his career as a host – and re-establish himself as a woman in public.

It was a testament to the mettle of his character that he bore the transition with any humour at all ("I don't understand how you women can walk on these death-traps known as heels all day"). Even so, his struggle was plain; he hadn't the fortune to undergo anything so simple as a straightforward change. In the search for his true identity, he had vacillated from being over-the-top feminine, to resuming his previous masculine persona, to shutting himself in his room for days on end. Those days had me fraught with worry; while Kagari had been always aloof, he must have been positively miserable to resort to that degree of self-isolation. But even as my heart ached to help him, I understood that this was something that he alone had to go through.

Therefore, everyone had breathed a metaphorical sigh of relief when he'd finally found a happy medium and settled on it.

While some things had changed about him, others remained the same. He'd grown his hair to his shoulders, but forwent make-up (with that pretty a face, why would he even need it?). He'd experimented with female apparel (including the aforementioned death-trap heels), but shied away from the more ostensibly feminine garments. (The few occasions the others had offered to put him in a dress were promptly met with threats of incineration.) His speech and mannerisms were largely unchanged – he was still even-tempered, polite and reserved – though his voice took on a softer inflection and he'd developed a habit of tugging on his hair when flustered. He'd even maintained his flirtatious ways, though he took care to direct those at the female population only.

I suspect that this compromise was Kagari's way of reconciling his feminine side with choice remnants from his past male identity. For that, I was grateful. Despite his feminine appearance, I still viewed Kagari as a man, and one I greatly respected at that. I could not have borne it if he had changed into an entirely different person. Although I had no control over the matter, I still felt responsible for his ordeal, as it was my presence that had triggered his feminisation. That he was still 'Kagari' reassured me, set me at ease.

Such formed the basis of the next four years living together with my Sekirei. Although we were by no means normal, we had set up and settled into our own pattern of normalcy. We would share mealtimes, united by our love of Miya's cooking (which was often replaced by Tsukiumi's cooking due to her growing presence in the kitchen, though Musubi's curry remained a big hit). In the evenings, we would lounge about the porch, engaging in animated discussion about the latest events or one of the many and bizarre competitions for my affections. Bedtimes proved more problematic, with my Sekirei squabbling over who would get to sleep beside me (until Miya intervened, insisting that we all take separate rooms and make some restitutions for the time that we'd been freeloading). Finally, on every weekend, I would go out on an individual, _timed_ date with one of my Sekirei, based on who won the latest competition (Kagari made a point to exclude himself from those).

Of course, this idyllic scene remained idyllic for only so long. When the issue of my 'unfulfilled husbandly duties' was called into prominence, things became much more complicated.

From the beginning, I was aware that the bond between Sekirei and Ashikabi carried certain less-than-innocent implications. Though Sekirei were almost indistinguishable from humans in appearance, they were much more primal in their biological design. The drive to find, protect and mate ('mate' being the operative word) with their Ashikabi was all-consuming in Sekirei – it was their effective purpose for living.

It had taken some clarification from Matsu, but I'd discovered that my Sekirei would become… aroused just by being close to me (though the effects were reproduced on my end, as I was far from immune to their womanly charms). In short, if I did not consummate the union with them (and continue to do so), my Sekirei would tear themselves (and me) apart with the sheer force of their discontentment and frustration.

Now, any red-blooded male would have killed for the opportunity to be surrounded by beautiful women who were constantly lusting after him. But this was beyond any adolescent sexual fantasy. I had six Sekirei whom I loved, whose needs were my responsibility to satisfy. With the exception of Kuu-chan, who had yet to reach physical maturity, and Kagari, who didn't seem to be interested in me that way, I had several wives who wanted me, who _needed_ me to take them to bed and make love to them. It wasn't a matter of having sex with them at my leisure and entertainment; it was a matter of helping them fulfill the purpose of their existence and attain happiness.

The problem? Miya strictly forbade sexual relations at the Inn.

I understood her reasons: she was protecting Kuu-chan's innocence and preventing the chaos that would erupt if my Sekirei were to throw down their inhibitions and launch themselves at me. But even as she expressed her sympathy for our plight, Miya remained immovable on her decision. In retrospect, she was silently nudging us – my Sekirei and I – towards finding a solution together, though that hadn't seemed the case at the time.

Her plan succeeded: my Sekirei took matters into their own hands.

Kazehana had instigated the entire affair. She did, after all, promise that we'd 'do what comes after a kiss once the Sekirei Plan was over'. Taking advantage of Miya's absence on her late husband's monthly anniversary, the Wind Sekirei had lured me into her room under the guise of 'needing a favour' and advanced on me. However, the others caught wind of what she was up to and rushed to stop us, each demanding their turn. In the end, nothing had come out of it but more bickering. That's when I decided we had to address the matter as a team, not just individuals looking after their own agenda.

Frustration and a united goal – sex with me – forged teamwork out of unlikely characters. Putting aside their differences, my Sekirei hatched a plan: to have me bundled off to a hotel for 'conjugal purposes'. I had expected the most resistance from Tsukiumi – of all my Sekirei, she was the most possessive of me. Ironically, it was through her rigorous planning that the plan (and subsequent plans) took place at all.

However, this particular plan turned out to be only a partial success. It was lacking on two important points: my physical limitations and sustainability.

I'd rather not go into detail about the first occasion – I was completely inexperienced, nervous as a frightened lamb, and aroused beyond my wildest imagination. As much as I'd wished I had the capability, I could not handle four ravenous wives within the same day. My mind was still raring to go, but my body just fell flat on me. But my wives were willing to forgive me my mishaps, so long as they got to repeat the experience again.

After some renegotiation, the number of attending wives was reduced to one; the opportunity to bed me fell upon the girl who happened to be going out on her weekend date with me. Even so, these 'dates' had only taken place once or twice a week, and there were four wives to go through. Even under ideal circumstances, each wife still had to wait a minimum of three weeks to have their turn again. If she managed to secure consecutive wins in the 'date competitions', she would deprive the others of their turns. Conversely, if she hadn't managed to win, she would have to wait weeks, possibly months between turns. It made for a horrible system, and my Sekirei's rivalry grew fiercer even as they took pity on each other, giving up their turns so that another could have a fair chance at being with me.

Things grew still more complicated when Kusano learned about the true nature of the plan – and that she had been excluded from it. Given our day-to-day shenanigans and Kusano's accelerated development, it did not take her very long to grasp the full implications of what 'mating with one's Ashikabi' meant. My other Sekirei did make an effort to be discreet; even the ever-exuberant Musubi had managed to keep mum about the subject. Regardless, Kusano picked up that I had been up to something with everyone else, and putting two and two together, arrived at the conclusion that I was 'making love' with her fellow love rivals.

And she wanted in on it.

Even though she had reached full sexual maturation within three years, I could not bring myself to contemplate the idea, let alone go through with it. It wasn't all that long ago that she was handing me her crayon drawings. While she had indeed blossomed into a beautiful young woman, I saw her as no more than my younger sister. A younger sister whom I loved, would lavish my attentions upon and give my life to protect.

But to sleep with her? It was a crime of the most abhorrent kind.

So I begged her to give me time. I told her that sex was something that should only occur when the parties involved were ready. But I was not ready: I had yet to outgrow the view that she was a child under my protection, and in doing so, remove the mental blocks that prevented me from recognising her as a woman worthy of desire.

To my relief, Kusano had accepted my explanation, adding that she wasn't ready either and that her demand was fuelled by jealousy. She had an uncanny wisdom like that, my Kuu-chan.

Nevertheless, this brought into light the difficulty of our situation. The tension between my Sekirei was fast reaching crisis point, held in check only by Miya's ironclad prohibition of violence and misdemeanour. What we needed was a long-term solution. Said solution required that I bed my wives on a fair and regular basis, and that we had the living arrangements to do so.

Although Maison Izumo had been our home for many years – the good and the bad – the time had come for us to leave. Pooling our not-inconsiderable finances together, we gathered a healthy sum that enabled us to rent out a nearby two-storey house. It'd been a bittersweet occasion when we'd packed up our things and stepped out over the threshold of the Inn. Musubi, Matsu, and Kuu-chan all had tears streaming down their faces (I too, had cried my fair share of tears), Tsukiumi had been subdued, Kagari's expression had been as open as I had even seen on the reserved Sekirei, and Kazehana had been wearing a smile of gentle contentment. Miya had stood at the head, warmth and pride shining in her eyes. After photographs were taken to commemorate this event, we bade our favourite landlady goodbye with the promise to visit every weekend.

We moved into our new living quarters with minimal hassle. By privilege of being the youngest, Kuu-chan was given first choice of rooms (she'd opted for the one on the second floor that faced the east). Kagari had followed suit with a room on the first floor, as did Matsu (she needed the space to set up her complex network of computers, wiretaps and various electronic gadgets). Having always been close, Musubi and Tsukiumi had decided to resume their previous arrangement and share a room – they took up the master bedroom upstairs. Kazehana had claimed that she needed no room of her own, simply falling asleep wherever she managed to pass out. That left one small room on the first floor, which was where I took up residence.

Thus our new life began.


	2. Proposal of the Sleeping Schedule

**A/N:** Many thanks to my awesome beta, Amputation, who helped me polish up the characterisation and dialogue.

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**Chapter 1 – Proposal of the Sleeping Schedule**

The first day at our new residence passed in relative quiet. Still raw from our parting with Miya and Maison Izumo, my Sekirei and I had directed our energies to familiarising ourselves with the premises and refurbishing our rooms.

I spent the better part of the afternoon sorting out my possessions. My books were stacked side-by-side on the main shelf, while my eclectic collection of music CDs occupied the neighbouring shelf. My laptop took its customary position on my bed, while my phone sat on the bedside table, emitting the red LED pulse that indicated that it was charging.

My old study materials were stowed in a large box in the corner, colour-coded and filed for easy reference. Reports, blueprints and mathematical instruments from work were organised into a neat pile on my desk. My limited selection of clothes (mostly worn T-shirts and jeans) earned a wistful look as I put them away into my wardrobe; I resolved to replace some of the shabbier articles upon the next shopping trip.

Having now relocated the majority of my possessions, I turned to the remaining unpacked object. It was an unassuming, off-white rectangular box the size of a cake container, one I had given the rather unimaginative title of 'The Box'. Being more prone to sentimentality than I cared to admit, I had taken to collecting keepsakes throughout the years. Eventually, my collection of keepsakes had grown so large as to be haphazard, whereby the Box became its new home.

Unable to resist the urge, I removed the lid, peering at the objects within and allowing myself to indulge in a moment of reminiscence. There were a few choice items from my childhood: my first teddy bear, an origami crane Yukari had folded for me on my eighth birthday, a bag of marbles, and a magnifying glass (bugs had been a subject of fascination when I was younger).

Beside these were more recent mementos: a small scrapbook, a pocket-sized chessboard tablet, a vellum envelope, a slim hardcover book, and a drawstring purse. I ran my fingers across these mementos tenderly, taking care to keep my touch light. After all, they were gifts from my Sekirei, and gifts of such importance deserved no less than the utmost appreciation and care.

I picked up the scrapbook – Kusano's gift.

My youngest Sekirei had wanted to share her love of art and nature with me. Each page was a vibrant burst of colour, comprising of any combination of pressed flowers, stickers, photographs, paper cutouts and drawings. The drawings in particular were beautifully detailed; it filled my heart with pride that Kusano had grown into so fine an artist. My most favourite picture featured a young Kuu-chan and I walking hand-in-hand across a sunlit meadow, smiles on our faces and endless blue sky at our backs. It represented both a memory and a dream: we were unburdened and free, connected simply by our love for each other.

Stowing the scrapbook back in its place, I removed the chessboard tablet.

A technological masterpiece put together by Matsu herself, it comprised of a square LCD touch-screen and a sleek, anodised aluminium base. Tapping on the screen would generate animated 3D holographs of chess pieces, which could be moved with a simple click and drag motion. The tablet formed part of a pair – Matsu held the twin – and allowed us to play chess regardless of geographical distance. I had wiled away many a lunchtime at work attempting – and sometimes succeeding – to match wits with my most intelligent Sekirei.

Returning the chessboard tablet to the Box, I proceeded to retrieve the hardcover book.

The cover was innocuous enough: embroidered paper banded with strips of red velvet. However, the words contained within could induce a nosebleed – and subsequent blood loss – so severe as to render the reader unconscious. An exaggeration maybe, but such was the erotic power of Kazehana's writing. She had penned this raunchy little tale for my eyes only; even the tiniest recollection of what was inside would make me tremble with lust. (I hastily put the book away, thinking distracting thoughts of my naked, senile neighbour to calm myself down.)

The drawstring purse became my next item of perusal.

Made of modest black silk, it was unremarkable save for its contents: an assortment of miniature seashells. Musubi had collected them during her ventures to the northern beach, stating that 'such pretty things' shouldn't be left out there, unnoticed and unappreciated. Every so often, I would oblige her request, taking out and holding up each individual seashell to the light. I would study the swirling patterns of colour and contrast, trying to find the innocent and all-encompassing love of life that made my first Sekirei who she was and none other.

I replaced the drawstring purse and reached for the final item: the vellum envelope.

Like the drawstring purse, it too was unremarkable in itself, acting as a repository for the collection of love letters and notes Tsukiumi had written to me over the years. Her penmanship mirrored her water element: an elegant, flowing cursive. But it was her words that warmed my heart (and sent chills down my spine at the same time). Even in writing, Tsukiumi was not outspoken in her affection for me, resorting to backhanded compliments and death-threats should I reveal anything of her lovelier, soft and delicate side.

Putting the vellum envelope back in its original location, I noticed I had left an empty space among my mementos. It was a truth I wasn't comfortable admitting to myself, but I longed for that space to be filled – occupied with a gift from my last Sekirei, Kagari.

I also acknowledged that this event was unlikely to happen.

Of my Sekirei, Kagari was the least demonstrative. I knew he cared about me in his own way: he'd watch my back when we were out wandering the streets, he'd tend my injuries with precise but gentle hands (and mutter a quiet rebuke to be more careful), and he'd reliably carry out any manual task I requested of him. Save the rare and illuminating conversations we shared during the Sekirei Plan, he had not made any outright displays of affection towards me.

I'd found myself to be both relieved and disappointed by this. Our relationship was tenuous at best, a former man-to-man camaraderie complicated by the fact that he had a changing gender identity and was married to me (albeit in name only). Even if he were compelled to give me something, how would he go about it? It would be so awkward.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't mind having a tangible symbol of his connection with me, something I could hold in my palm and be reminded of him. I knew it was pointless to indulge in such flights of fancy, but I'd sometimes wonder about what sort of thing the reserved, aloof Fire Sekirei would gift to me.

What would Kagari choose? Nothing flamboyant, certainly. It would be something subtle, small perhaps, like a –

A knock on my door interrupted my musings.

"Minato-san?" chirped Musubi's cheerful voice. "Dinner is ready!"

"I'll be there in a second!" I called back.

Sweeping away the last cobwebs of idle speculation from my mind, I set the Box down next to the bedside table, exited my room, and headed to the dining area.

It was curry night. Although we ate with our usual gusto – Musubi's curry was delicious, if rather generous in portion – conversation was a little stifled. I saw the telltale glaze of inward thought in everyone's eyes; perhaps my Sekirei were caught up in their own memories like I had been? Following a half-hearted attempt at after-dinner games, we all turned in early for the night.

I changed into my pyjamas and slipped into my new bed, sinking into my pillow with a smile. It'd been one of the most peaceful days I'd experienced since my entanglement in the Sekirei Plan. There were no discontented wives looming over me, no demands for my bed and body, no complaints about misaligned sleeping arrangements. Being an introvert by nature, I did what I could to savour this momentary respite, knowing that things would take a turn for the crazy come the next morning.

Indeed, when the second day arrived, things started to spiral downhill – fast.

I had just finished breakfast when the first mishap took place, triggering everything else in domino effect. In her haste to grab her bento box for school, Kusano knocked over a stack of cutlery. There was an almighty clatter as spoons and chopsticks scattered across the kitchen tiles, instantly sparking Tsukiumi's ire. Although Kuu-chan apologized and offered to clean up, the Water Sekirei gave her a stern reprimand, stressing the need for caution in the kitchen.

The cacophony roused Kazehana from a nearby couch and she swayed in, keen on investigating the disturbance. To Tsukiumi's outrage, the Wind Sekirei had seen fit to wear nothing but lingerie. Tsukiumi's efforts to point this out earned only a rebuff, and the exchange between the two women rapidly devolved into a shrieking match.

Cue Kagari's appearance. He peered into the dining area, surveyed the unfolding carnage and – very wisely – made the decision to return to his room. Following his example to hightail it out of there, I grabbed my briefcase and hurried myself out.

Work proved to be an excellent distraction. By the day's end, I had finished drafting a new blueprint, all thoughts of household disputes driven from my mind. Therefore, I wasn't prepared for the chaos that greeted me when I stepped over the threshold of our home.

As much I loved them, I understood that my Sekirei (with the sole exception of Kagari) were not very disciplined people. Having to compete against five love rivals for my attention – in addition to living with said rivals under the same roof – resulted in a great deal of pent-up frustration. While careers and competitions were effective outlets, they could not contain this frustration, which often sought escape in destructive ways. Since self-restraint was not a priority for my Sekirei, and without Miya to police and enforce appropriate behaviour, it was a short descent from precarious coexistence into full-blown pandemonium.

'Pandemonium' was an apt description for the scene before me.

Clad in nothing but a sake bottle in hand, Kazehana was prancing and pirouetting about the living room. Before I could even respond to this magnificent sight, I heard a distinctive splash, accompanied by screeches of fury. The culprit was a livid Tsukiumi, who had taken umbrage to the Wind Sekirei's state of undress and was using her powers to demonstrate her intolerance of the matter.

There were three problems with this scene: one, there was water everywhere; two, Tsukiumi didn't seem to be letting up and three, her preoccupation meant that she had left her cooking unattended–

An ominous gurgle from the kitchen sent me rushing off in that direction. After locating the offending pot and switching off the stove, I turned around and nearly tripped over Musubi. Rag in hand and a bucket by her side, she was cleaning up one of many puddles of water littering the floor. It relieved me that the Fist Sekirei at least had the presence of mind to allay, if not prevent, the damage left in the other's wake.

A quick question about Kusano's whereabouts led me to the dining area, where I found my youngest Sekirei curled up in the corner. Still garbed in her school uniform, she was rocking back and forth, arms wrapped around her knees in a self-protective embrace. My heart seized in worry; she bore the look of someone who'd had her feelings trampled on. I stretched out a hand to touch her shoulder–

–when Matsu suddenly appeared out of nowhere and collided with me. We toppled backwards onto the floor, the bespectacled Sekirei landing on top of me. I must have been Fate's laughingstock that night; how else could our limbs and bodies have entangled themselves so suggestively otherwise? Recognising the situation for what it was, Matsu switched into pervert mode and slid up against me, fingers twitching–

It was pandemonium. Absolute pandemonium.

My ensuing yell echoed through the house and brought everything to a dead silence.

Fixing the mess took up the rest of the evening. Dinner was salvaged, Tsukiumi and Kazehana were given a dressing-down (or a dressing-_up_, in Kazehana's case), everyone joined Musubi in cleaning up the place, and Kuu-chan was invited to spend the night by my side. Kagari, the lucky bastard, had been spared participation from the night's chaos by virtue of shift work.

As my youngest Sekirei and I trekked back to my room, we became the targets of jealous glares and irritable mutters. Not that anything indecent took place between us, mind you; I'd simply asked what had bothered her, murmured gentle words of comfort, and held her in her sleep. Something told me there would be hell to pay later, though. By singling out one wife to share my bed, I'd called attention to the fact that I was Husband, whose highly sought after husbandly services (read: sex and cuddles) were up for grabs once more.

Then the third day came and I decided that enough was enough.

To my shock, exasperation and involuntary arousal, I awoke to find that four-sevenths of the house's occupants had joined Kusano and me in my room overnight. Unlike Kuu-chan, their intentions were far from innocent. Musubi had donned a mismatched pair of lingerie, Tsukiumi wore a teddy that was both modest and revealing, Matsu's choice of attire was a very impractical version of a lab coat, and Kazehana hadn't deigned to wear anything. It was the hotel scene all over again – with poor Kuu-chan thrown in. The only mercy afforded me was that all of them were asleep.

It was nothing short of miraculous that I managed to extricate myself from the mass of luscious female bodies without waking anyone or getting molested. I proceeded to dive into a cold shower and then leave straight for work. To linger for breakfast would mean facing the (unpleasant) repercussions of having escaped my wives' lascivious clutches.

While at work, I began to formulate a plan.

As the Ashikabi of my six Sekirei, it fell upon me to wear the mantle of leadership. My nineteen-year-old self had shied away from the prospect, but I was no longer that cowering, virginal boy. Now, more than ever, I had to take charge and set ground rules. Miya had done so for a reason, and while I lacked her matronly presence (or overwhelming power), I did have the love of my Sekirei. If setting aside their differences and acquiescing to my requests were what it took to make me happy, they would do it.

I needed to do something about the fighting. I also needed to address my wives' needs for intimacy – in a fair and equal way.

For the first, a heartfelt plea would work. For the second, a rotating nightly schedule held promise as a long-term solution. Every night, I would visit one of my Sekirei in their room – alternatively, they could visit mine – and make love with them (or whatever it was they desired). Obviously this wouldn't be the case with Kusano or Kagari, but I wanted to include them nevertheless – it would make things fair.

Resolving to set things right, I returned home.

It was disappointing, if unsurprising, to revisit the same state of mayhem as the previous evening. Tsukiumi had exhibited _some_ restraint with her powers, but there were still several knocked-over objects, waterlogged furniture and puddles on the floor. Knowing that it was the quickest way to get my message through the house, I grabbed the Water Sekirei's wrist, intercepting a confrontation between her and Matsu.

"What, Minato?!" she growled, arm poised to launch a flurry of water arrows at her opponent.

"Tsukiumi," I spoke in a firm, urgent tone, "tell everyone that I have some things to discuss with them after dinner."

She complied straightaway, bringing all shenanigans to a halt. Quick as a snap, the place was tidied for dinner – bowls of hot, steaming _miso_ ramen. I dug into my noodles with determination, maintaining my quiet even as six pairs of curious eyes tracked my every movement.

Later, we gathered around the coffee table in the living room. I assumed my seat as household leader at the head of the table while my Sekirei took up their customary positions. Expressed to varying degrees, apprehension was plain on their faces – I wouldn't call a meeting like this if the matter weren't serious.

I hated confrontations, I truly did. I hated the fact that in one way or another, someone would get his or her feelings hurt. But I had long since learned that nothing came out of hedging around the problem – a problem, in this instance, which threatened the future happiness of my family. Fixing in my mind's eye the vision of a content, peaceful household, I gathered my courage and spoke:

"Since we've moved in, things have been… chaotic. I've seen you get into more fights in the past thirty-six hours than three months at Maison Izumo. It hasn't even been a week, but the kitchen floor is missing two tiles, some furniture needs to be replaced," I paused to glance at the waterlogged ottoman beside me, "and there's a wall in the corridor that needs fixing."

Hearing the unsavoury consequences of her actions spelled out in plain words, Tsukiumi gave a guilty fidget. The other two main culprits reacted similarly: Kazehana's mouth tightened, and Matsu stared down at her thumbs. I couldn't help but feel a dark sense of satisfaction at their unease – my life had been hell in the past two days.

"Now, I'm not pointing any fingers. But this cannot continue. At the rate we're going, our house is going to end up a pile of rubble within the month."

I leaned forward, favouring all my Sekirei with an intent look. They leaned towards me in return, indicating that I had their full attention. "As your Ashikabi, I want you – my Sekirei – to all get along. That means no fighting with each other. I understand that quarrels can and will happen, but I don't want things to come to blows.

"Back when we were still part of the Sekirei Plan, I had to watch you use lethal force against one another. It scared me, how close all of you came to – to getting k-killed," I choked out the word, the image of Musubi's broken body and fading crest stark in my mind. "I'd rather not be reminded of that. I'd rather not think about l-losing you all over again." I blinked hard, feeling sudden moisture well up in the corners of my eyes.

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I continued in an earnest tone, "So, I am asking this favour of all of you. If you get into an argument with someone, try to talk things out. It's best to settle things peacefully, without anyone's feelings getting hurt. But if things get heated, please – please don't resort to violence." I looked into the eyes of my Sekirei, hoping they could see the entreaty reflected in my gaze. "Can you do this for me, everyone?"

"Of course, Sahashi," Kagari gave his consent swiftly and without question.

Kazehana, who had been wearing a speculative expression during my speech, gave me an approving smile. "When you put it that way, Mina-kun," she purred, "how can anyone possibly refuse?"

Musubi pumped both fists, gazing up at me worshipfully. "Absolutely! Musubi will do anything Minato-san wishes!"

"Mina-chan," murmured Kusano, her face partly obscured behind a curtain of straw-coloured hair, "I don't hurt anyone, do I?"

To my exasperation, Matsu put off answering me in favour of taking a dig at the Water Sekirei beside her. "Tsukiumi-tan, I believe it's _you_ he's pointing this out to…"

Tsukiumi retaliated in all-too-predictable fashion. "What did you say, you four-eyed witch?" she snarled.

Matsu pushed up her glasses in a triumphant motion. "Only that you're proving my point…"

I raised my palms, forestalling any further argument. "Tsukiumi, Matsu," I said firmly, "please stop." I decided to address the matter with the bespectacled Sekirei first. "Matsu, I'd prefer if you didn't provoke others."

She gave me a pout. "All right, Mina-tan."

I turned to the Water Sekirei. "Tsukiumi, can you please try to keep your temper in check?"

"But she–!" Tsukiumi pointed an accusatory finger at Matsu, but backed down when I maintained my gaze on her. "Very well, Minato."

"So, do I have your promise that you will not use violence against each other?"

Matsu threw up her overlong sleeves in a shrug. "It's not like my specialty is violence, anyway," she offered in her typical condescending manner. "So, yes."

Tsukiumi's reply was more invested. "Yes, Minato," she declared, splaying her hand over her heart, "I will refrain from using violence. Furthermore," she added, her voice gaining momentum and volume, "as the legal wife, I will personally ensure that your command is obeyed by everyone in this house!" She eyed her fellow Sekirei challengingly. "Severe consequences will befall those who go against Minato's wish–"

"Thank you, everyone," I interjected before Tsukiumi's provocation could get a rise out of the other Sekirei. "Anyway, this brings me to the second issue that I wish to discuss with you.

"I'm aware that all of you want to–" I couldn't help but blush at the euphemism, "–spend time alone with me. In the past, the person who got that chance was determined by winning competitions. But that wasn't a very fair system. Sometimes one of you won a lot more than the others. This meant you got to spend a lot of time with me, but at the expense of others, who had to wait a long time before they could have their turn," I concluded, seeing my Sekirei nod their heads in agreement.

"So, I've come up with an idea to make it fair for everyone. Something that allows all of you to have an equal chance to be with me."

"Oh, this sounds exciting!" Musubi exclaimed, positively wiggling in her seat. "Musubi wants to hear everything about it!"

"Such a shame," groused Kazehana, a moue of disappointment on her rosebud lips. "I was ahead of everyone by two points today..."

"Everyone will get to spend the evening with me," I continued, "on a rotating nightly basis. You'll go in the order you were winged. Musubi will have Monday night, Kusano, Tuesday night, Matsu, Wednesday night, Tsukiumi, Thursday night, Kazehana, Friday night, and Kagari, Saturday night. On Sunday evenings, we'll go visit Miya, like we'd promised. When a new week arrives, the schedule begins again."

I looked around the room, nervous despite the solidarity of my premise. "So… uh, what do you guys think?"

Musubi's eyes were sparkling with delight; out of my flock, the Fist Sekirei was the most receptive to my ideas. "Musubi thinks it's a great idea!" she proclaimed. "We all get to spend time with Minato-san, which is what everyone wants, right?"

To no one's surprise, Tsukiumi seized the opportunity to make her objections known. "Why ought Musubi go first?" she boomed in her loud, imperious voice. "As the legal wife, it should be I who has that privilege!"

"You seem to be forgetting something, Panty-Flash," interposed Kazehana in her usual drawl. "_All of us _are his legal wives."

This threw Tsukiumi off-balance, but only for a moment. "I-I am the main wife!" she asserted. "The rest of you are mere concubines!"

Musubi frowned in puzzlement, tapping a finger against her chin. "But Minato said we would go in the order we were winged, and I was his first Sekirei–"

"The order is inconsequential!" overrode Tsukiumi, her canines bared. "A concubine's duty to step aside for the main wife!"

I decided to nip this argument in the bud. "Tsukiumi, please calm down."

This caused the Water Sekirei to turn her formidable glare onto me. "Minato, are you asking me to tolerate this – this_ effrontery_?" she hissed, her hair whipping around her like angry snakes.

Four years ago, I would have been cowed by her anger, even going as far as to throw in a compromise for her sake alone. But time had taught me that in order to become a man – an Ashikabi – worthy of his Sekirei, I had to make decisions and stick by them.

As the most possessive and headstrong of my Sekirei, Tsukiumi presented one of the largest obstacles to my plan. Knowing this, I'd pre-emptively come up with rebuttals to her inevitable arguments.

"Tsukiumi," I held her gaze, speaking in a gentle but firm tone, "please listen to me. I decided on this order because it is a matter of fact, not preference. The order in which we met is unchangeable. Musubi was my first Sekirei, and Kagari, my sixth – there're no 'ifs or 'buts' about it. By going according to this order, I would not show favouritism to any one person." I looked around the room, capturing the eyes of my six Sekirei. "I love you all equally, after all."

Kazehana broke out in delighted applause, leaning over to plant a noisy smooch on my cheek. "Well said, my Mina-kun!"

Tsukiumi shot a poisonous look in the Wind Sekirei's direction before turning back to me. She still had an air of injured pride about her, but she spoke in a quiet, even tone that belied her contriteness. "If that is your decision, Husband, then I shall do as you wish." She inclined her head towards me in submission.

I acknowledged her deference with a nod of my own. "Thank you, Tsukiumi."

She gave another bow of her head, cheeks colouring a little. "I cannot dispute the soundness of your reasoning, after all. You know how to make fair judgments, Minato – that's why you're my husband."

_Wow_. I felt my cheeks grow warm as well; a straightforward compliment like that was high praise coming from Tsukiumi. Scratching at the back of my head, I gave her a lopsided, appreciative grin and then turned to the two most senior members of my flock.

"Kazehana? Matsu?"

"Me? I have no complaints whatsoever," drawled Kazehana, waving a lazy hand in my direction.

"I'll just have to make good use of my time to conduct experiments, don't I?" cackled Matsu, her fingers twitching.

Tamping down the automatic urge to flee at Matsu's display of perversion, I gave an inward cheer, my confidence swelling. This was good – _very good_. I had earned the consent of four of my Sekirei; the other two were sure to follow.

"Kuu-chan?"

My youngest Sekirei sighed. "One evening in a week seems like so little time to be with you, Mina-chan," she said, her tone forlorn. "But I'm glad there's no longer a need to fight amongst ourselves," she added, finishing with an earnest tilt of her head.

"Likewise, Kuu-chan." Favouring my youngest Sekirei with a gentle smile, I gave another inward cheer. That was five Sekirei who agreed to my plan!

I turned my attention to the remaining member and lone male amongst my Sekirei, who had yet to volunteer his opinion. "Kagari?"

In bold contrast to the others, Kagari had not reacted with any excitement – or indeed, any emotion at all, I thought worriedly – to the proposition. Leaning against the wall with arms folded across his chest, he was the very picture of indifference.

"I admit it is a good idea overall," he said in his cool, androgynous contralto. "But there's no need to include me in this arrangement, Sahashi. Someone else can take my place."

There was a brief moment of stunned silence, followed by an uproar:

"But Kagari-san, don't you want spend time with Minato?"

"I'm more than happy to take your place, Homura-chan!"

"You will do no such thing, you shameless trollop! If anyone is entitled to a second night, it shall be me, the main wife!"

"I would like a second night too – but only if you don't mind giving up yours, Kagari-chan."

"Ufufufu… This is such a delightful soap opera!"

I rose from my seat, causing the group to quieten immediately. Before I was aware of what I was doing, I had taken a half-step in the Fire Sekirei's direction, my hand stretched out as though to touch him. I quickly set my hand and foot down.

"Kagari, are you certain about this?"

"Yes." He made a point to look me up and down – indicating my confrontational stance and increased proximity – before arching an eyebrow at me. "But you don't seem to want to hear that."

"You're right – I don't." I couldn't keep the terseness out of my answer.

The rising hope – that my Sekirei accepted my proposal, my _leadership_ – evaporated all of a sudden, leaving me with a cold, empty feeling. Truth be told, I hadn't taken into account Kagari's resistance; I had believed that he, of all my Sekirei, would recognise the logic in my argument. It was the perfect scheme: fair and equal, or so I thought. Had I overlooked something? Had he spotted a flaw and wasn't vocalising it?

Not to mention I was so _close_ – I had already gained consent from my other five Sekirei. Why did Kagari have to go and be an exception?

I needed to convince him. Somehow, I _knew_ that the success of this sleeping schedule depended on it.

"I'm not sure how much you know of our previous arrangement at Maison Izumo, since you weren't directly involved–"

"I know enough. Enough that it was driving everyone crazy–"

"Yes, that's my point!" I burst out, clutching onto the line of reasoning he had provided. "It drove everyone crazy because some people got to spend more time with me than others. If everyone gets a fixed turn, no one will be left out! If you remove yourself from the schedule, there's going to be a gap , and as you can see–" I waved my hand around the room for emphasis, "–everyone's already fighting for it!" I let out a long, harsh sigh. "I just want the fighting to end, Kagari."

He shifted his shoulders, looking uncomfortable. "I suppose."

"Also, I–" I persisted, getting more desperate, "I know it sounds awkward, but I want to spend time with you too, Kagari!" _This_ got a reaction out of him: his eyes snapped wide. "You're my Sekirei, one of the most important people in my life! But we barely know each other, and–"

"Say no more, Sahashi." He averted his gaze; there was a distinct tint to his cheeks. "I'll go along with the schedule."

I was taken aback; that one sentence was enough to make him cave in? "Listen, if you're really uncomfortable with–"

"Forget what I said before," he interjected. "_I'll go along with the schedule_."

I stared at him for a moment longer, but he had angled his body away from me, determined not to meet my gaze. Uttering a quiet sigh, I returned my attention to the group. Kagari and I would have to discuss this matter later, in private.

Nevertheless, it was a victory overall. The sleeping schedule was going to go ahead, and – if my suppositions were correct – put an end to the matter of my 'unfulfilled husbandly duties' at long last.

"Is everyone in agreement, then?" I made another visual round of the room, offering my Sekirei one final opportunity to object.

"Yes, Minato–"

"Yes, Mina-tan–"

Tsukiumi and Matsu had given their answers at the same time, causing them to pause and blink at each other.

Musubi punched the air again. "You bet!"

"Yeah!" Kusano's smile was warm and genuine.

"I love it when you take charge like this," swooned Kazehana, her hands clasped to her breast in a dramatic pose. "My Mina-kun has grown up to be such a manly man!"

"Today is Friday. Starting next Monday, this will be our nightly arrangement."

"I can't wait to spend my first night with you, Minato-san!"

"I can't wait to conduct more experiments on you, Mina-tan…"

"You'd better return him intact when my turn comes along, you four-eyed pervert!"

* * *

A lengthy discussion to sort out particulars followed. Said particulars concerned who would visit whom in whose room, what time did one's turn begin and end, if time spent with me were exclusive to the wife in question or could multiple wives join in on the same night (trust Matsu to bring up the idea of orgies), if turns were swappable under extenuating circumstances, and if evening dates or outings were included.

Now in high spirits, my Sekirei settled for several rounds of card games before turning in for the night. They bade me goodnight with a positive deluge of kisses and compliments; it appeared that I had managed to impress them thoroughly earlier. Even so, I couldn't yet allow myself to bask in the glow of my wives' happiness – there was still the matter of Kagari's unresolved feelings to attend to.

The Fire Sekirei was waiting for me. He had sensed my intent and prepared for our imminent confrontation, choosing to position himself near the innermost corner of the room. I gave him a mental tick of approval; the acoustics of this location meant that our voices wouldn't carry outside.

I approached him with slow, steady steps. "Kagari."

He tilted his head towards me, indicating that he was listening.

Suddenly anxious, I lapsed into my nervous habit of rubbing at the back of my head. "About earlier, I want to apologise for that," I babbled. "I knew you'd be uncomfortable with the idea of spending the night with me; I shouldn't have put you on the spot–"

A sharp shake of his head cut me off. "I set myself up for that, truly." He flicked a careless hand in my direction. "Don't worry about it."

Uncertain, I let my arm fall down to my side. "You sure you're okay with it?"

"It has been an unexpected evening," he replied, voice cool. "I'm still processing our," he paused, a furrow forming between his eyebrows, "_new circumstances_."

_New circumstances he clearly isn't happy about_, I thought, worried. Maybe it would help if I explained…? "You do know why I wanted to include you in the schedule, right?"

He nodded, readjusting his folded arms. "You've changed your mind since the time we were winged, then?"

Were we even in the same conversation? Why did I get the feeling that he was talking about something completely different? "I've changed my mind about what?" I asked, bemused. "I'm afraid I don't follow…"

"As I understand it," he explained in crisp, precise tones, "this night-by-night arrangement is in place to give everyone a fair chance at sexual intercourse with you. I had been under the impression that sexual relations would not occur between us. I refused you for that reason – I thought my participation unnecessary."

The stark way in which he pointed that out took me aback. "Uh… y-yeah," I stuttered. "That makes sense."

To my surprise, pink bloomed on his cheeks, and he started tugging on a strand of hair. "But it seems I might have been mistaken."

"Huh?"

"You said you wanted to spend time with me. Did you actually mean that you wanted to–" He looked away, continuing in a mumble too soft for me to hear.

"I'm sorry, can you please repeat that?"

Twisting the aforementioned strand of hair around a finger, he took a deep breath to steady himself. Then, levelling his gaze with mine, he said in a louder voice, "Do you want to have sex with me, Sahashi? Because, as your Sekirei, it is my duty to–"

"God no, Kagari!" I waved my hands in frantic refusal. "You've got it all wrong! We're both guys for crying out loud; I'm not – _we're_ not into each other like that!" I paused, a possibility taking shape in my mind. "Are _you_?"

The Fire Sekirei's normally cool composure had all but vanished, his flush growing more pronounced with every word I'd said. He shot me an incredulous, almost defiant glare. "O-Of course not!"

I blinked, taken aback for the second time in the span of a minute. The vehemence of Kagari's denial struck me as odd, made all the more obvious by his continued glare at me. If there was anything I understood about denial, it was that the more passionately one refuted a statement, the more likely the opposite was true. According to this principle, Kagari had actually meant that he was–

My brain short-circuited; the notion was too foreign to bear contemplation.

Shaking my head, I gathered the last bits of dialogue and tried to make sense of the situation. "Why did you offer to have s–" I couldn't bring myself to say the word; not with relation to Kagari – it was too _weird_, "–to do _that_ with me if you weren't into me?"

Kagari's eyes were wild, highlighted by the twin spots of red on his cheeks. "Y-You hadn't made your intentions c-clear, Sahashi!" he spluttered. "What else was I supposed to conclude?"

Comprehension clicked. He'd mistakenly thought that I dragged him into this schedule for the purposes of… doing _that_ with him. The poor guy – he must be feeling so _mortified_ right now. My heart gave a sharp twinge in sympathy.

"God, I'm so sorry, Kagari!" I cried, smacking my palm against my forehead several times. "You're right, of course – I should have explained myself in the first place."

"Please do so _now_," the silver-haired Sekirei groaned, rubbing at the bridge of his nose.

"I meant what I said before, about you being one of the most important people in my life, Kagari," I asserted, trying to convey my sincerity in my voice and open-palmed gesture of my hands. "You are a dear friend to me. But we're not very close – not as close as I'd like us to be. I want to get to know you better, and well, spending one night together in a week – not in that way, of course…" I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. "Uh, I'm not really doing a good job of explaining myself, am I?

"I believe I understand," Kagari muttered, his expression somewhat mollified.

I took a step towards him, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. This prompted him to look up at me, and I caught his gaze with my own.

"I really mean it, Kagari," I spoke in a low, fervent tone. "During these past four years, I've barely interacted with you. We've drifted so far apart, I feel like we're almost strangers. It shouldn't be like this; we shouldn't have to keep each other at arm's length."

I moved my remaining hand over my heart, clutching at the sudden bright, almost painful feeling underneath. "I want to make up for lost time. I want to rebuild our friendship. Will you give me this chance, Kagari?"

"Sahashi…"

The Fire Sekirei had gone still, his expression transfixed. His wine-red eyes were wide, filled with a dizzying tumult of emotions. His lips seemed to be moving of their own accord, forming shapes around words he could not yet articulate. It was not until a few moments had passed that he regained the ability to speak.

"Yes, of course," he said at last; I noticed that his voice held the telltale strain of rigid self-control. "I see no reason to deny you this chance."

I took this as the cue to release the breath I had been holding all the while. Feeling as though an inexplicable weight had just been lifted off my shoulders, I decided to steer the conversation into lighter waters. "Not to mention you're my only guy companion in the house. At times like these, we men have to band together, you know?" I flashed him a conciliatory grin.

His mouth twitched in response, a sure sign of his improving mood. "That, I most certainly understand," he acknowledged. Then, in a tone of voice as dry as the desert, he added, "You're henpecked enough as is."

"No need to point that out," I moaned, clutching my head in shame. Inwardly, I was relieved that he was finding humour in this situation. "So, we're good?"

"Indeed."

"You truly don't mind…?"

He shifted a little. "I don't make a habit of sharing my personal space." Upon hearing those words, I underwent one tense, faltering moment of doubt – had I gone about things the wrong way? Sensing my dismay, Kagari gave me a hasty smile and continued, "But I can make an exception for you."

"Thank you, Kagari."

"It is as my Ashikabi desires," he intoned, sketching an elegant bow. I had the feeling he would've kissed my hand if it weren't such an awkward gesture between two men. "Is there anything else you wish to discuss?"

I frowned, pondering his question for a moment. "No, I don't think so."

"Well then," he clasped my shoulder, "have a good night, Sahashi." With that he walked away, hand raised in farewell.

"You too, Kagari," I called out to his departing back.

The sound of his footsteps faded away as he rounded the room's exit and disappeared into the corridor.

I remained where I stood, my mind still reeling with our recent exchange. Among the many things we'd discussed in the past ten minutes, one stood out prominently in my mind:

However mistaken _that_ action might have been, the fact remained that Kagari had propositioned me.

I shouldn't be so surprised, really. This was the second time he had offered to… have sex with me (I still had difficulty wrapping my mind around that concept). The first time hadn't been quite so direct. It was during the aftermath of his winging: he'd told me that he could assume whichever gender I preferred. Or that he could become an 'animal' – a tool for my pleasure – if that was what I desired.

_"Because, as your Sekirei, it is my duty to–"_

Did he still believe that he was obligated to service me sexually? Perhaps it was a 'Sekirei thing' to offer their body to their Ashikabi?

Given my experiences during the Sekirei Plan, I had no doubt that the less scrupulous amongst Ashikabi had taken advantage of their Sekirei in this very manner. That someone could abuse – no, _violate_ – what was meant to be a beautiful bond of love between two individuals sickened me to the very core.

Was that the reason why he asked me outright? Did Kagari believe that in 'changing my mind', I would – after all this time – exploit our connection to make him do that?

Even if I was interested in him that way – and even if he returned said hypothetical interest – I could never agree to such a thing. I was _not_ that kind of man.

Perhaps Kagari didn't trust me as much as I thought he did.

That thought made me sad, but it gave me a starting point. I had already taken a step in the right direction, by offering to rebuild our friendship. With any luck, I could also rebuild our trust in the process.


	3. A Revelation of Flames

**A/N:** A big thank you to my beta Amputation, for pointing me in the right direction in terms of characterisation and word choice.

To the reviewer named Dark Drow, please sign in with your account so that I can reply to you. I find it a real shame that I can't express my thanks for your encouraging words.

* * *

**Chapter 2 – A Revelation of Flames**

As popularised within the household, the new norms I'd set became known as the Anti-Violence Clause and the Sleeping Schedule. With these in place, the next week proceeded with a tranquillity set to outrival the idyllic days at Maison Izumo. Intent on pleasing me, my Sekirei had toned down their petty squabbles, redirecting their energies into planning how they'd spend their time with me. It was still a way from true harmony, but I was proud that we'd gotten this far without resorting to Miya's intimidation tactics.

Nevertheless, friction between wives inevitably arose as the night arrived for each of them to receive their turn. Reactions from fellow wives varied: there were encouraging cheers (Musubi), wistful gazes (Kusano), envious glares (Tsukiumi), perverted suggestions (Matsu), which were followed by indignant protests (Tsukiumi again), delighted swoons (Kazehana), and put-upon frowns (Kagari). To my dismay, the morning after often saw them huddled together in conspiratorial gossip about _me_. I had never managed to catch their animated whispers, but if the glances in my direction were any indication, they were commenting about my previous night's performance.

Like their reactions, my Sekirei's choices of nightly activities varied, spanning the gamut of perfectly innocuous to outright salacious:

Replaying a scene from our early days, Musubi had presented herself in a French maid costume and offered to be my willing servant girl for Monday night. I suspected Kazehana's hand in the matter; although she'd experienced a fair number of sexual situations, Musubi still didn't grasp the full implications of this arrangement. It was a struggle not to give in to my baser impulses and command that Musubi carry out certain… longstanding fantasies. That said, I succeeded, guiding my first Sekirei into a sweet and tender exchange.

Kusano and I had yet to deviate from the boundaries of our sibling relationship, so we'd simply set up camp in the backyard to do a little stargazing on Tuesday night. She'd brought out her telescope, a gift I'd provided her for this very purpose. Picking out pinpricks in the sky proved tricky with the city's light pollution, but we'd maintained our enthusiasm, even going as far to invent constellations of our own (there were a couple of contorted shapes we'd laughingly dubbed 'Onii-chan and Kuu-chan').

On Wednesday night, Matsu had stolen me into her room, changed into her infamous travesty of a lab coat and strapped me to an examination chair (where the hell did she manage to procure one?). She'd then subjected me to various… stimuli, using her wide assortment of questionable devices in addition to her own body. It was far from an unpleasant experience, but I couldn't help but feel a little disturbed, as though I was a mouse under the overeager scrutiny of a mad scientist.

Tsukiumi had requested for a private audience with me on Thursday night (the others had obliged, vanishing into their rooms). She'd dressed up in a floor-length evening gown, her lips painted red and her hair meticulously twisted and pinned. I couldn't take my eyes off her the whole time; she was so _beautiful_. Our night was spent dancing to slow music and conversing over candlelit supper, after which I took the Water Sekirei to bed and reminded her – in very _explicit_ terms – how glad I was to be her husband.

Of my Sekirei, Kazehana had opted for the most straightforward approach. Having no room of her own, she'd taken the liberty of scattering rose petals across my bed while I was at work on Friday. We'd ended up closeted in my room for the entire night. Clad in a shimmering mini-dress that left nothing to the imagination, the Wind Sekirei had proceeded to enact multiple scenarios from the book she'd gifted me. Suffice it to say that I was very pleasurably occupied, if sore from overexertion the next morning.

Tonight was Saturday night, which meant it was Kagari's turn to be with me.

Unlike the others, the Fire Sekirei had shown no sign that he was looking forward to our upcoming encounter. If anything, the opposite was true – he'd grown increasingly taciturn as the week went on, limiting our exchanges to brief, terse phrases. It seemed that he'd taken to watching me instead – I would constantly feel his gaze on my back, though whenever I'd turned in his direction, he was always looking elsewhere.

Kagari was apprehensive, that much I knew. This encounter – this forced intimacy – would change our dynamic, forcing us out of our comfortable, ensconced roles as casual male companions and into what, I couldn't say. I'd voiced my desire for a stronger rapport with him, and while he hadn't objected to this proposal, he had yet to express what he himself wanted out of our relationship. Insofar as I could tell, he was quietly gauging me, seeing what move I would make next.

Afraid to misstep, I'd remained passive.

Unfortunately, there was no longer any room to postpone decisive action. The appointed time of our nightly 'date' had arrived.

* * *

Earlier, prior to dinner, the Fire Sekirei had informed me that he hadn't planned any activities and that I was to meet him in his room shortly before bedtime (this, I suspected, was to minimise the length of our interaction). The others, sensing the tension between us, had tactfully refrained from making comments about our lacklustre arrangements. The rest of the evening had proceeded as normal, with my flock gathering in the living room to watch TV before retiring for the night.

Afterwards, Kusano had drawn me aside.

"Kagari-chan is waiting for you," she'd said, her eyes aglow with wisdom beyond her years. "He's been waiting for you for a long time. Don't be afraid to reach out to him. He'll meet you halfway."

And this was how I found myself in front of Kagari's door at half-past ten, a rolled futon under one arm and a pillow in the other. The smooth, unadorned panel of wood had never presented so great an obstacle until now.

Taking a deep breath, I rapped thrice on the polished white surface.

"Kagari," I started, hesitating, "it's me, Minato. Are you in?"

"Yes," replied the soft, husky contralto I associated with my sixth and final Sekirei. "One moment…"

There was the dull thud of approaching footsteps, followed by the creak of swinging hinges. Silhouetted by the backdrop of room light, my companion for the night appeared before me, arms crossed in his customary pose.

The first thing I noticed was that Kagari's choice of nightwear included a pair of plain blue satin pyjamas. Save the occasions where I tended to his injuries, I had never before seen him in such a state of… undress. It made him look more approachable – more _human_ – and less like the Kagari who'd always maintained his distance from everyone.

The second thing I noticed was the fact that he'd left the uppermost two buttons of his pyjamas top undone. While nothing new – Kagari had taken to wearing his old shirts that way – this exposed enough for me to spot the sparkle of jewellery underneath. It looked like a silver chain, weighed down by something (a pendant, perhaps?) that descended into his – dare I say it – _cleavage_.

_Don't look there, you pervert_, I chastised myself. This action struck me as ironic, given that four-sevenths of the house's occupants habitually thrust their cleavage into my face.

The third thing I noticed contradicted the conclusion I'd drawn from the first: Kagari was still standing in the doorway, having made no motion to invite me into his room.

I coughed into my palm. "So."

"So," he echoed.

"Um…"

A moment of silence passed. Cicadas chirped in the background.

When he continued staring at me, motionless, I realised it was up to me to break the ice. "Don't you think it's silly that we're so awkward around each other?" I quipped. "I mean, it's what, five years that we've been living under the same roof?"

"You raise a valid point," he agreed.

"Are you kidding me?" I burst out, gesticulating with my pillow. "It's _ridiculous_."

At this, the tension that had been building between us throughout the week snapped. Kagari started sniggering, and I couldn't help but join in. My laughter spurred him to laugh harder, which exacerbated my laughter in turn – on and on it went. This escalated until we doubled over in uncontrollable spasms of mirth, clutching at our bellies. It took several minutes before we wound down enough to regain some semblance of composure.

"Geez, I haven't laughed that hard in ages," I admitted, rubbing at my sore cheeks.

"Nor have I," Kagari concurred, his lips still twitching. Realising he'd left me waiting in the corridor, he quickly moved aside, holding the door wide. "I seem to have forgotten my manners. Come on in." He made a sweeping flourish of welcome.

Accepting his invitation, I stepped over the threshold into his room, futon and pillow in tow. Once inside, I paused for a moment, surveying my surroundings.

Though larger than mine, Kagari's room had little in the way of decoration. His style could best be described as 'minimalistic'. The whitewashed walls were bare, his desk housed a lone pen basket with a few pieces of stationery, and his phone and laptop lay closed on the bedside table. Save the numerous books stacked on the shelves, Kagari had not bothered beyond the bare essentials.

"I see your tastes in décor hasn't changed," I remarked lightly, comparing the likeness of this room to the one he'd had back at Maison Izumo.

"I am a person of simple means," he returned in the same light manner, closing the door before walking over to his desk and leaning against it.

Setting my futon and pillow down against the wall, I proceeded to drift towards the closest shelf. "Yeah, you don't seem to have much else but books." My hand stretched out of its own accord, almost touching a nearby volume before I realised what I was doing. I shot him a glance, seeking permission. "Do you mind if I–?"

"Go right ahead."

I plucked _The Legend of Prometheus: A Gift of Fire_ from its shelf and examined the cover. Before I could register this eclectic choice of reading material, it occurred to me that the book had probably been dropped in a fire at some point.

"It's charred?" I wondered aloud, running a finger along the blackened edges. My nostrils twitched; the book emitted a very faint odour of smoke. "Did you accidentally burn it?"

"A while ago. It's ironic, isn't it?"

I rose onto the balls of my feet, inspecting the books across the shelf. Many of them bore similar burn marks. "By ironic, you mean that you're a Fire Sekirei around highly flammable objects?" I surmised, falling back onto my heels.

"I had to be careful when my powers were still unstable," he explained. "Thanks to you, I can have as many books as I want, among other things." Wistfulness was prominent in his voice.

I nodded; he was referring to the fact that I'd stabilised his powers by winging him. "Ah, you're welcome, Kagari. I imagine it must be problematic to spontaneously set your surroundings on fire." I placed _The Legend of Prometheus_ back in its original location.

"That," he replied in a tone as dry as tinder, "is an understatement."

"I see." I sensed the conversation had taken a sudden turn for the sombre. "Is that why you described yourself–"

"–as a defective Sekirei?" he finished for me.

"Y-Yeah," I stuttered, taken aback by his harsh description of himself. "Though I wouldn't use the word 'defective'–"

"That's what I was, Sahashi," he overrode me matter-of-factly.

I let out a soft breath, my heart filling with pity for him. "Did you have to grow up being labelled as that word?"

"Yes," he confirmed, shutting his eyes. "Frankly, I didn't have much of a childhood."

My heart clenched tighter even as I wondered what he must have undergone to make such a sad statement. My other Sekirei's recounts of their pasts had one thing in common: they'd lived together with a tuner prior to release. As alien beings, Sekirei needed human mentors to aid their integration into human society. This close relationship usually resulted in tuner and Sekirei growing fond of each other – with Tsukiumi being an exception.

Perhaps Kagari, like Tsukiumi, had the misfortune of a heavy-handed tuner?

"I'm sorry to hear that."

He dismissed my apology with a wave of his hand. "It's in the past now."

With effort, I suppressed the urge to frown at his display of nonchalance. Clearly, Kagari associated his past with many painful things. While I was not inclined towards nosiness, I understood that bottling things up like this was far from healthy.

I decided to broach the subject with him.

"W-Would you like to share?" I tried for a tentative tone. "If you don't mind, that is."

Kagari cast me a sidewards glance, obviously hesitant.

"I just find that it helps to talk things out," I continued, "even if they weren't the most pleasant. Of course, if you think I'm prying into things I shouldn't," I backpedalled, providing him with a route of escape, "you–"

"I haven't discussed my past with anyone," Kagari interrupted.

I blinked; I'd wrong-footed him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have–"

"But I can make an exception for you."

I blinked again. "Oh."

That was twice I'd wrong-footed him now – within the span of twenty seconds. Déjà vu rang with the clarity of bells in my head: I had made the same mistake in our conversation a week ago, after the proposal of the Schedule. _Way to set a precedent, Minato._

Sensing my exasperation, Kagari offered me a faint smile in apology. "You're trying your best to understand me, Sahashi. I appreciate that."

"Yes, I do want to understand you," I parroted, my desperation mounting as I realised I didn't understand him at all. "Your feelings, your _past_," I emphasised the word, grounding myself with the subject at hand, "they all matter to me."

He nodded. "This might take a while. Why don't you lay down your futon and get comfortable?"

"Ah, okay."

Retrieving my futon from the wall, I proceeded to roll it out on the ground. Meanwhile, Kagari relocated himself, moving from his desk to sit down on his already prepared futon. He was now staring at the ceiling, plotting out what he was going to say. With legs folded, a pillow in his lap, and a twirl of hair around a finger, his position struck me as oddly feminine – a departure from his usual slouch with elbow braced against propped-up knee. Now that I thought on it, he had not sat in the latter manner for quite some time.

I made the final adjustments to my coverlet and settled atop them, motioning for Kagari to begin. He took my cue, speaking in a quiet, neutral voice:

"I was a prototype Sekirei, one intended for experimental purposes. While I was still in incubation, many modifications were made to my genetic code. This resulted in my unstable sex.

"My body constantly switched back and forth between male and female. These transformations lasted for a week at a time, and occurred every month. Because of the pain and hormonal imbalances involved, I'd become very withdrawn and hostile."

"Wow, that's nasty," I couldn't help but comment, imagining a snarling and haymaking Kagari. It was an incongruous picture – the complete opposite of the cool and composed Sekirei I knew. "And here I was thinking women's... monthlies were bad enough."

"Believe me, some women's monthlies _are_ bad," he said dryly.

"Uh," I sweat-dropped, "that's one topic I'd rather not delve into. Go on?"

"Right. They, the MBI scientists, called me a –" his voice wavered almost imperceptibly over the words, "– 'defective product'. Since I was too emotionally unstable to live together with a tuner, I stayed in a cell within MBI headquart–"

"Wait, you _lived_ in a cell? Like a _prisoner_?" I cried, outraged. My other Sekirei had mentioned being housed within cells, but only during long medical examinations in which they were anaesthetised. This sounded like a permanent arrangement.

He smiled sardonically. "I suppose you could call me their prisoner – I was their lab rat, after all. But I didn't live poorly. My cell was regularly cleaned, and the furnishings were satisfactory: I had a bed, an enclosed restroom, a desk, and even a wardrobe. Their food was a little on the bland side, but I'd never had to go hungry. Not to mention I had access to the gym and training facilities – though visits were limited to my exercise regime."

I shook my head; trust Kagari to downplay the severity of his living conditions. "What about how you were treated?"

"I was monitored at all times," he replied in a monotone. "Many scientists saw me as nothing more than a test subject. They weren't abusive or ungentle towards me, just clinical. When I wasn't running tests, attending lessons or exercising, I was usually left to my own devices." His voice changed, taking on a warmer lilt. "Still, there were kind people – Takami-san in particular – who treated me like a person. They took me outside, and gave me treats and books."

_My mother, Takami, a kind person?_ I thought incredulously. Perhaps Kagari was speaking of her 'kindness' relative to other MBI scientists, but it wouldn't surprise me if my mother treated the Sekirei under her care more like her 'children' than her own offspring.

"And how often did my mother and these other kind people visit you?" I couldn't keep the accusatory edge out of my voice.

This caused him to raise an eyebrow at me. "Maybe once a week?"

Even at a single visit a week, Kagari had spent six-sevenths of his waking hours in effective solitude. "Weren't you lonely?" I inquired softly.

His eyebrows climbed still higher at my mood whiplash, but he replied in a matter-of-fact tone, "I grew accustomed to my own company. Reading books and solving puzzles occupied most of my time. But every so often," here, his voice quietened, as though he was revealing something of a secretive nature, "I would sneak into the incubation chamber and watch my still-sleeping fellow Sekirei."

His use of the word 'sneak' could only mean one thing. "I'm guessing the incubation chamber was off-limits?"

He nodded. "Restricted personnel. Most Sekirei hadn't been activated yet; they were still undergoing adjustments. Any meddling – accidental or otherwise – could have unwanted results."

"How did you manage to gain access?"

"At the time, the incubation chamber reused entry mechanisms salvaged from the ruins. The doors activated in proximity to those with Sekirei characteristics. I could enter and exit freely."

"But didn't they have you on surveillance?" I pointed out, frowning. "Even if you _could_ enter and exit freely, they must have known that you were sneaking in there."

There was that sardonic smile again. "They knew. In punishment, they confiscated my books for a week at a time."

"But you kept going back, didn't you?" It was a rhetorical question; I already knew that Kagari would provide a reply in the affirmative. "Why?" What was it about visiting his fellow Sekirei – who were incapable of responding to him – that made the trip worth the loss of his precious books?

Kagari answered in a low, intense voice that spoke of suppressed emotion. "The other Sekirei may have been floating balls of cells then, but I felt connected to them. They were my brothers and sisters. We were_ family_."

It became clear to me then. Kagari had lived in a cold, antiseptic world filled with tests, medical instruments and the emotionless gazes of scientists. Any respite from this would be more than welcome – it was crucial to maintaining his sanity. Books and puzzles could distract his mind for only so long. He'd needed the warmth of genuine company, warmth that could only be afforded by others.

Indeed, there were a few kind scientists who did nice things for him. However, their charity was just that – _charity_. Ultimately, whatever love and attention they'd offered him could not bridge the divide between them: that they were his overseers, and he, their pet project. The only true comfort Kagari could draw was from his family, even inanimate as they were. Standing amongst his fellow Sekirei, he could feel that he belonged.

This would explain why he was so devoted to his role as Sekirei Guardian later on. He'd wanted to protect his family, for they had formed the cornerstone of his motivations and inner strength. In that respect, he and I were alike.

"I visited so often that it perplexed the MBI workers," Kagari went on, bringing my musings to a close. "Eventually they realised I would do nothing but watch. One of the higher-ups –Takami-san, I believe – must have pulled a few strings, for I was allowed visits thereafter."

My mother cared enough for him to get that one right, at least. "I'm glad she could do that for you," I said sincerely.

He nodded and continued, his voice taking on a new, raw edge – pain. "In any case, things went downhill when I started manifesting my powers. I was young and new to my ability; I'd set things ablaze by accident. These mishaps compounded during my transformations, reaching a peak with the onset of puberty. In my rage, I set fire to my surroundings. There were–" his shoulders tensed, and his next word came out in a ragged whisper, "_–casualties_."

In my mind's eye, I saw the labs awash in fire, the ominous silhouette of an out-of-control Kagari stalking through the flames. Everywhere, there was the blare of evacuation sirens, the spray of activated sprinklers, and the screams of frightened people. Smoke and the acrid smell of burnt plastic filled the air, charred bodies littered the ground, and paramedics and firefighters were rushing frantically about the scene.

It was a mental picture I did not care to revisit.

"That's... horrifying."

Kagari was unable to look at me. His head hung low, his fringe falling forward to obscure his eyes. Shame and remorse emanated from him in dark, smothering tendrils.

"I'd felt sick afterwards," he admitted in a small, shaky voice. "I'd never liked the scientists, but they were defenceless. I'd never wanted their blood on my hands."

"But you didn't mean to do it!" I pleaded on his behalf. If there was one thing I _did_ understand about Kagari, it was that he would take all the blame upon himself. "It was an accident, wasn't it?"

"Acci_dents_," he gritted out, emphasising the plural on the last syllable.

"Wasn't MBI responsible for preventing things like these?" I persisted, determined to find Kagari's innocence – what little there was – in the matter. "Like adjust you to bring your powers under control?"

"Their adjustments _failed_." Kagari's eyes were screwed shut, and his voice was bitter. "At the time, their knowledge of Sekirei functions was too limited. But some good – if you can call it _that_ – came out of it."

"And what was that?"

His tone grew more bitter, if that was possible. "My powers became unstable. If I exerted myself, my flames would turn inward, burning me from the inside out."

"How could that be a good thing?" I exclaimed, bewildered.

Kagari turned to face me, his eyes like glowing coals. "Self-preservation is a powerful instinct," he replied, his words laden with irony. "I didn't want to burn myself to death, so I learned to control my emotions. My outbursts stopped, as did the accidents."

He let out a bark of a laugh – it was harsh and mirthless, making my heart seize up in mirrored agony. "Even so, I was more defective than ever. Have you heard of the saying that 'those of fire are hated by the gods'?"

I nodded; I had a bad feeling of where this was going.

Kagari stretched out his hand, and a small flame sprang into existence within his upturned palm. "This fire," he intoned, staring into the flickering orange light, "was my curse. It was the cause of my solitude, for it scorched anyone who got too close. Even me."

His hand clenched into a fist, extinguishing the flame. "My fire was the reason they took away everything. They took away my privilege to visit my fellow Sekirei. They took away my books and puzzles – I'd have burned them to ashes, anyway. They took away even the ownership of myself," his voice rose in anger, "keeping me drugged to the point that I couldn't walk straight."

Sighing, he set his shaking fist down, and I felt the energy drain out of him. "And still they couldn't adjust me properly. I was too dangerous, too uncontrollable. If it weren't for Asama Takehito, I would've been scrapped." _I should've been scrapped_, were his unspoken words.

"By scrapped," I breathed, "you mean–"

"Terminated. Disposed of."

The harsh words rattled me down to my very core. Unwilling to contemplate the possibility of a world where they had actually taken place – a world without Kagari – I blurted out my next sentence:

"B-But Takehito – Miya's husband – saved you!"

My agitation seemed to have a calming effect on the Fire Sekirei. "Yes," Kagari confirmed, resuming a neutral tone, "Takehito took me under personal custody, seeking to fix my defects. He managed to stabilise my sex to a degree: my transformations subsided, and I remained male for the most part. He also lessened my power output, but I would still self-immolate if I drew on too much.

"In many ways," Kagari placed a hand over his heart, his voice now wistful, "I am grateful to him. Although the fixes were incomplete, they were much better than I'd anticipated. I would be released. I could continue living, even starting anew.

"But I had only as much time as the first phase of the Sekirei Plan. The true solution lay in finding my Ashikabi. Winging would stabilise my sex and powers for once and for all. Only..." he trailed off.

"Only?" I prompted.

"I was told that my Ashikabi might not exist. Indeed, I searched for years in vain." His words were strained, belying a hint of the frustration he must have endured. "I had come across many people, but not one sparked off the slightest reaction."

"Until you met me," I supplied, following the subject matter to its obvious conclusion.

"Yes. By then, I had lost all hope that I would ever meet my destined one. You were," he turned to look at me, his wine-red eyes alit with emotion, "an impossibility. A miracle. I found that– I found _you_ difficult to accept at first."

His gaze was so intense that I found myself looking away, fingers automatically scratching at the back of my head. "We didn't have the best of starts, did we?" I posited, giving a nervous chuckle.

Kagari nodded. "The issue of us both being male aside," something told me that he had plenty to say on _that_ subject, but wasn't ready to discuss it yet, "I had built my life around being alone. That's why I became the Sekirei Guardian.

"As the Guardian," his voice lost all characteristic coolness and took on an impassioned quality, "I could protect my family. I could ensure that my siblings met their Ashikabi – to have what I could not have. I could kill Minaka!" His fist clenched in his lap; even now, with the former CEO of MBI being dead for four years, Kagari still hated him. "This would've prevented that goddamn Plan from coming to fruition. Even if I died in the process, it would be enough. It would mean that my life had purpose!"

He caught my gaze again, his eyes ablaze with the same intensity as before. This time, I couldn't bring myself to look away.

"Your arrival upended all that. Before you, I had resigned myself to a life of sacrifice. You made me realise there was meaning beyond that. You gave me hope.

"I didn't dare admit it at the time, but I longed for a future. A future in which I would be freed from my curse. A future in which I needn't fear my powers betraying me, leaving me to die in my flames."

With blazing vividness, the memory of Kagari's winging came back to me. My other Sekirei and I had found him atop an MBI building, engulfed in flames. He was at the point of literal meltdown, cremating himself before my very eyes. I remembered the searing heat of the fire, the pain and wretchedness in Kagari's expression–

"But your powers did betray you!" I pointed out, not without regret. "Even I couldn't prevent that! If we hadn't arrived in time, your flames would've overtaken you! You would –" I choked, forcing out the words, "_You would've died_."

"Not through any fault of yours," he refuted me gently. Lowering his eyes, he continued in a voice quiet with self-recrimination, "I was stubborn and ignorant. I didn't believe I deserved hope, or that I was worthy of happiness. I'd assumed that winging myself to you – or anyone, for that matter – would mean becoming a mere possession, and I couldn't bear that."

He shook his head. "Of course, I now know the truth. When you reached out to me through the flames, you showed that you weren't afraid. Not of my fire, nor of my curse. You wanted me by your side, even knowing I was defective." His eyes met mine once more, and I saw warmth glimmering in their wine-red depths. "That convinced me you were the one – _my_ Ashikabi."

His earnest words shot straight to my heart, squeezing it tight and causing a blush to rise on my cheeks. In an attempt to stave off my discomfort, I slapped on a grin and wisecracked, "I guess it takes life-threatening acts of insanity to win your heart, huh?"

Kagari's answering smile was tinged with melancholy. "I guess it does."

Turning sombre again, I proclaimed, "I would do it again in a heartbeat, you know."

"I know." The Fire Sekirei smiled again, this time in gratitude. "Your compassion did far more than save my life. This curse of fire," he looked into his empty palm, indicating the flame he'd held only moments ago, "I had lived under its burden for so long. You washed it away. You healed me."

I returned his smile. "I'm glad I was able to do that for you." Feeling that words alone could not convey the depth of my sincerity, I reached out and clasped his hand. It was smaller than mine, fine-boned and delicate – feminine. Somewhere in the hazy recesses of my mind, the fact registered that Kagari's hand fitted nicely against my own. "It's hard to imagine how my life would've went if we hadn't met, Kagari."

He looked down at our joined hands, a faint blush colouring his cheeks. "I'm touched that you hold me in such high esteem."

"I do," I asserted, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "I greatly respect you as a man. After hearing about your past, all the suffering you had to go through... It seems like a tiny consolation," I harked back to our conversation earlier, "being able to have as many books as you want."

He followed my train of thought, repeating his words from before, "Among other things?"

"Yeah. You deserve so much more."

"Perhaps," he granted, closing his eyes. Only then did he remove his hand from mine, his fingers trailing in a way that could almost be construed as 'lingering'. "I've been very talkative tonight."

I frowned; the last thing I wanted was for Kagari to retreat back into himself after he'd finally opened up. "You make that sound like it's a bad thing," I berated him. "It _isn't_." When this earned a raised eyebrow, I continued, injecting as much sincerity into my words as I could muster, "I enjoyed listening to you. It wasn't the happiest story, but it was a part of your life. Thank you for sharing that with me, Kagari."

His expression had turned contemplative during my speech, but when he spoke, it was in his normal cool tones. "You're welcome, Sahashi. Now," there was an odd quirk to his mouth, "I believe it's your turn."

"M-My turn?" I couldn't help but stutter, failing to see this turnabout of conversation.

"After surrendering the details of my dark and troubled past," he said dryly, palms upturned in a shrug, "how could I not ask for yours in return?"

"But I don't have a dark and troubled past," I replied automatically, "unless you count–" Halting just before I said something incriminatory about my grandmother, I began backing away, alarmed. "So t-t-this is what it is?" I spluttered. "T-Trading blackmail material?"

The Fire Sekirei took one glance at my distressed expression and burst into laughter. "Silly Ashikabi," he mock-scolded, his voice brimming with fondness. "I'm curious about you too."

"I-Is that so?" I maintained a dubious face.

He looked at me with soft, sincere eyes. "You're not the only one who wishes to rebuild this friendship, Sahashi Minato."

That gaze was making me feel uncomfortable again – but not in a bad way, I decided. "Well, if you put it like that, I guess I can't refuse," I conceded with a sheepish grin. "Compared to yours, my life was much less exciting..."

* * *

The rest of the night passed in easy, if rather embarrassing conversation. I talked about my life growing up in Wakayama, getting lost in the woods with Yukari, having a mother who was more concerned with work than her children, being driven around like a dog by my formidable grandmother, and developing a meek and indecisive personality due to lack of a male role model combined with the aforementioned female influences.

Kagari was an attentive and respectful listener. To my relief, he never belittled me about my weak character, simply saying that I had grown up since then. He would always prompt me with the right questions, be it to elaborate further or extract me from a loop I'd somehow talked myself into. It was as though he was cataloguing every detail of my childhood, laying them side-by-side beside his own. Perhaps he was vicariously living through my experience, snatching glimpses of happiness and normalcy he could not find in his bleak past.

Eventually, we grew too tired to continue our conversation. Kagari turned off the light, and after biding each other a warm goodnight, we snuggled into our futons.

I stayed awake for a while longer, pondering our exchange. In the same fashion that I had granted him acceptance, I was thankful for his. The destructive nature of Kagari's powers had given him cause for grief, just as my wishy-washiness had been a point of vexation for me. Of course, my 'normal problems' and the 'normal consequences' they brought could scarcely compare to his ordeal, but it was nevertheless heartening to empathise with him, however small the extent.

The fact that we'd revealed our pasts to each other was significant – it represented a breakthrough in our relationship. I cared deeply for the Fire Sekirei, and I knew he was protective of me. But up until our last conversation, we were just housemates whose interactions rarely ventured beyond the superficial. While it was long overdue, we had finally taken our first step towards deepening our bond, and I couldn't help but be glad for that.

With the fervent wish that Kagari and I could continue walking this path together – to become still closer friends – I closed my eyes one final time, drifting into slumber.

When I woke the next morning, Kagari wasn't around.

The window was open, letting in the pink dawn light as well as a gentle breeze. Having already been packed up, his futon now lay in the corner. There wasn't any discarded clothing, or a relocated book, or even a drawer that had been opened and then left partially closed. Indeed, the only indication that we'd spent the night together was the coverlet pulled up to my shoulders; I had a habit of tousling them in my sleep.

I had never imagined that Kagari would do something so… tender for me. It kindled a warm sensation in my chest, not unlike the glow of a gentle flame.

Maybe this friendship thing was going to work after all.


	4. Rising Embers

**A/N: **A big thank you to my beta, Amputation, who continues to encourage me to write.

Also, I'd like to express my gratitude to everyone who's reviewed! I'm glad I've managed to keep you entertained thus far. And without further ado, I present:

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Rising Embers**

"Kagari, it's me–"

"Sahashi. Feel free to let yourself in."

"Oh, okay!"

Tonight was Saturday night again – the second cycle of the Sleeping Schedule was well underway. The first cycle had been a glorious success, and the second served to reinforce the continuation of this success. Though not established enough to be called 'routine', my Sekirei and I were now settling into the beginnings of a rhythm. Little by little, we grew comfortable with the idea of taking turns and making concessions for the appointed Wife of the Night. The simple knowledge that they could look forward to the week's highlight had a wonderful calming effect on my Sekirei.

Perhaps my vision of a content, peaceful household would be realised sooner than I imagined.

The most noticeable difference took place in my interactions with Kagari. Since our conversation last week, we had relaxed around each other. While he remained as elusive as he'd always been, he no longer made a point of avoiding me or keeping our exchanges short. His newfound habit of watching me persisted, however – the few occasions I've managed to catch him at it had revealed a thoughtful, calculating gleam in his eyes. He was still assessing me.

But I had no intention of failing his assessment, whatever form that might take. Last week, I had glimpsed what our bond had the potential to be: a beautiful, steadfast friendship.

I wanted it. And unless I was horribly mistaken, he wanted it as well.

Therefore, it was with part eagerness and part trepidation that I pushed on the door to the Fire Sekirei's room for the second time. (The previous week had been all trepidation; this split was an improvement in and of itself.)

"Please give me a moment to finish this," was the first thing I heard upon entering his room.

His back to me, Kagari had apparently busied himself with the tidying of his bookshelves. On his desk lay an ever-shrinking pile of books, all of which underwent re-shelving. I wasn't surprised to find him clad in the same satin blue pyjamas that I'd seen the week prior.

He was done within a minute, slotting a thick biology tome into the final remaining space on the shelf. Satisfied with his efforts, he turned around to face me. Like last time, the uppermost two buttons of his top were undone, revealing the silver chain that rested underneath.

"Heya," I greeted him with a sheepish grin, which earned a quirk of his lips in return. Recalling the words he'd told me before dinner, I added, "You said not to bring my futon?"

"Yes, I've taken the liberty of readying one for you." He gestured to the two futons laid out on the ground.

The fact that he'd taken the initiative to prepare for my arrival brought a genuine smile to my lips. "Thanks for doing this for me. You certainly make a good host."

"Glad to be of service." He sketched an elegant bow, refraining (again) from following up with a kiss to my knuckles. But he almost did. Unlike our confrontation post-Proposal, he was far less guarded tonight, and I could sense his intent glimmering in the air between us.

I overlooked this unexpressed action, unsure what to make of it. Deciding to receive his gesture of goodwill with the appreciation it was due, I sat down on the futon he'd readied earlier.

Kagari emulated me, sitting down on his own futon. He'd assumed the same position as the previous week: legs crossed underneath him, pillow in his lap. There was no hair tugging this time, for which I was glad. As heart-warmingly vulnerable as that nervous habit made him, its absence meant that he was relaxed.

"Speaking of host," I turned curious eyes onto him, "you mentioned you used to work in a host club?"

He nodded. "It feels like a lifetime ago."

"Being a host sounds like a really cool job," I breathed, unable to keep the awe out of my voice. "I never had the self-confidence, charisma or looks for that kind of thing."

Kagari met my gaze with steady, sincere eyes. "Your confidence has grown a great deal since I've met you."

My hand automatically flew to the back of my head at the unexpected praise. "Doesn't stop me from feeling like a bumbling idiot around the others, sometimes," I muttered, sheepish.

"They are by no means ordinary women." He exhaled, throwing me a look that was both fond and exasperated. "You should give yourself some credit."

Was Kagari encouraging me? "Even so, I'd like to improve the way I approach them," I confessed, thinking of all the times I'd ruined a romantic moment with my untimely slips of ineloquence.

"I might be able to help you with that," he offered wryly.

"Oh yeah! You were the top host after all. You must know all the tricks of the trade when it comes to seducing women." I gave an awkward little laugh, scratching at my scalp again.

He cast a sidewards glance at me, and I saw – to my surprise – that his expression had turned wistful. "Indeed."

"Do you ever think about going back there?" I prompted.

"The work was enjoyable," he replied, a faint smile on his lips. "Being popular with the ladies had its benefits." He shot me a sly wink.

Mirroring his smile took very little effort. "You weren't professional with them in the strictest sense, were you?" I couldn't resist the urge to ask.

He took my question in stride. "If by that you mean I slept with my clients, then yes. Some of them."

"Were they beautiful?" Again, I couldn't help but ask.

The corners of his mouth twitched, betraying his amusement. "My clients included the full gamut of Shintou Teito's female population – the ones who could afford my services, that is. But they were each lovely in their own way."

"Still professional even now, I see!" I exclaimed, impressed.

He flicked his hair in a self-satisfied manner. "I like to maintain high standards."

"Anyway," I said, seizing upon the next relevant point to maintain the flow of the conversation, "why did you decide to become a host in the first place?"

He paused for a moment before answering, a faraway light in his eyes. "Because I was a Sekirei searching for my Ashikabi."

"That didn't occur to me before," I wondered aloud, palming my chin, "but thinking back on it, it makes sense. By working at a host club, you would be exposing yourself to many people, wouldn't you? That would increase your chances to meet your Ashikabi."

"I would be exposing myself to many _women_, yes," he corrected me, not without a little primness. "I had hoped to find her – my Ashikabi – amongst my clients."

Upon hearing the words 'women' and 'her', I felt something dark and uneasy burgeon in the region of my abdomen. "I– I'm sorry for not being a girl?" I offered, not knowing what else to say.

"If it were a matter of preference," Kagari explained, seemingly oblivious to my sudden distress, "a female Ashikabi would've suited me better." He gave an ironic shrug of his shoulders. "But destiny doesn't work like that. My search turned out to be fruitless, after all."

The sensation intensified, spreading like cancer through my insides. A sickening realisation had occurred to me: I wasn't the one Kagari wanted. Or more specifically, I wasn't the correct _gender_.

"If only..."

"I could be winged by a woman?" he finished for me.

"Well, y-yeah," I croaked out, unable to shake off the overwhelming feeling of _wrongness_ that had consumed me.

A furrow formed between Kagari's brows, and there was a hint of consternation in his voice as he spoke. "But that would mean I'd never have come to know you."

Why was he defending our union – which I'd finally recognised as an utter _travesty_? "Even if it meant that," I protested, "at least you'd have the chance to be with someone you truly desire!"

For a split-second, his wine-red eyes met mine, and I saw in his gaze something so intense that it felt like my soul was being pierced right through. But he was shaking his head the next moment, leaving me to wonder if I'd imagined it all.

"There's no use dwelling on possibilities," he reasoned. "You and I are winged – that is the irrefutable truth."

His calm, logical words only served to heighten my frustration. "But–"

"Silly Ashikabi," he interrupted; it was his almost familiar use of this expression that held me in check. "The fact that you are a man is something I've long since come to terms with. I do not regret being winged by you, Sahashi Minato."

"Really?" I bit out, incredulous. "You don't regret it?"

His reply came in a voice as unshakable as the gaze he gave me. "Not in the slightest."

What made him so certain? "But what about the times when you were with your clients?" I pointed out, refusing to capitulate. "Didn't you enjoy being with a woman?"

"Oh, make no mistake – I _enjoyed_ being with them," he answered easily. "But while my experiences were pleasant," his tone took on a wistful quality, "they lacked something. However many women I met, flirted with and slept with," here, he placed his hand over his chest, "my heart remained empty. Incomplete."

"That's because they weren't your Ashikabi," I swallowed, feeling physically ill. "_I was_." No two worse words could've been spoken.

"Indeed," he said slowly, his brows knotted in confusion. "We are linked by destiny. Only you were able to bring peace to my restless soul."

What did it take to make him _understand_?! "I was able to bring peace to you. But happiness?" Propelled by the anguish that clamped vice-like around my heart, I reached out and grasped his shoulders. "Can you honestly tell me that you're happy right now?" I cried, shaking him harder with every word. "Completely happy? Like the others are?"

His wine-red eyes had gone wide with shock. "I…" he faltered.

"You can't, can you." It was not a question.

Kagari looked into my stricken face for a long, tense moment. Finding that he couldn't dispute my statement, he finally hung his head.

His expression of defeat brought me no satisfaction whatsoever. Feeling as though all the energy had drained out of me, I relinquished my grip on him, slumping to the ground.

Kagari couldn't say 'yes'. There was no way he could say 'yes'.

How could he possibly be happy?

He could never be with a woman – or anyone, period. Anyone but _me_. Whoever he met – even if he found them to be the most attractive person on the planet – didn't matter; he and I were irreversibly bound. They might have the most compatible of personalities, interests and worldviews, but he would never feel complete in their presence.

In other words, he was stuck with me for good.

The dilemma? I wasn't the right person for him.

The bond between an Ashikabi and his Sekirei was a mating bond. I had witnessed – was _still_ witnessing – the truth of this statement firsthand. Even now, I couldn't deny that the looks Kusano gave me were becoming less sisterly and more… something I'd come to expect from my other Sekirei. 'The drive to find, protect and mate with their Ashikabi was all-consuming in Sekirei' – I had said it myself. How could I have deluded myself into believing that Kagari would be exempt from this principle?

_Because you didn't want to deal with _that_ on top of an already complicated relationship and five others like it_, my inner voice supplied dutifully.

Under natural circumstances – insofar as 'natural' could apply to extraordinary beings like Sekirei – I would be his lover. However, Kagari preferred women – he'd even expressed the thought that 'a female Ashikabi would suit him better'. I couldn't begrudge him that, for I myself loved women. But the fact remained that I was _not_ a woman, nor would I ever come close to resembling one. He couldn't be with me – not the way I was.

Even if he inexplicably broke out of that mould and developed feelings for me, nothing would come out of it. We were sexually incompatible. While he remained a man, I could not bring myself to look at him in anything beyond a platonic light. I wasn't attracted to men, dammit! While I had nothing against same-sex relationships, I wasn't gay, and I did not care to explore my sexuality in _that_ realm. It represented a fundamental change to my character that was beyond my voluntary or willing capacity to bring about.

In the immediate aftermath of his winging, Kagari had asked if I would take responsibility. At the time, I had not given any consideration to his future relationship predicament – I was too concerned with saving his life. After all these years, I'd finally realised what he'd meant. As his Ashikabi, it fell upon me to ensure that Kagari achieved romantic fulfilment.

Instead, I had robbed him of it, leaving him in limbo.

Words could not begin to describe the horror I was feeling.

"As your Ashikabi, I'm _useless_." I slammed my fist against the ground, hot tears of guilt gathering at the corners of my eyes. "I want you to be happy, Kagari, I really do! But I'm not the right person – I can't ever be."

Apparently at a loss for answers, Kagari remained silent.

"If only there is something I could do for you…"

"Perhaps there is." His voice was so soft that I almost didn't hear him.

My head snapped up in an instant, my watery eyes meeting his wine-red ones. "What is it?" I implored, clutching onto his words like a lifeline. "What can I do to make you happy, Kagari?"

The Fire Sekirei startled at my question; it was clear he hadn't expected me to make him such an offer. But I saw his features soften into one of contemplation – albeit a conflicted one, if the vigorous hair twirling was any indication. It took him at least a minute before he settled on a phrase – the same phrase he had sworn to me four years ago when he became my Sekirei.

"Ikuhisashiku."

"Forever and ever?" I repeated. "Is that what you want of me?

"Yes."

"You want me to be by your side forever?" I repeated again, for emphasis.

His replying nod was sure, devoid of hesitation.

"Kagari, you already have that!" I exclaimed, wondering what could've possessed him to ask for something that was already his. "We made that pledge when we were winged. I will never back out on such an important promise."

"Truly?" he challenged, strangely insistent on this point.

I almost shouted; I was so vehement. "_Truly_."

Satisfied with my response, he closed his eyes. "Then that is all I ask for now." There was an odd finality to his words.

Bewildered, I could only stare at him.

Kagari's request was so _inadequate _that it made me want to tear my hair out. Why must he be so selfless? He'd asked for nothing when I would've given him the world – or whatever miniscule portion of it I could catch and bundle together in a gift for him. Was self-sacrifice so ingrained in his character that he would throw away even a half-hearted attempt at happiness?

I decided to take the matter into my own hands. Even if I couldn't grant Kagari romantic fulfilment, I could grant him the strongest of platonic loves: familial love. The love between brothers. It was the very least I could do for him.

"May I suggest something?"

Kagari reopened his eyes and caught my gaze, clearly listening.

"What if we become like... brothers?"

"Brothers?" He quirked a questioning eyebrow at me.

"I know it's only been the second time we've talked to each other like this," I elaborated. "But I already feel more connected to you than anyone else. That's not to disparage my relationship with the others, but they're – _women_," I flailed; surely that very word was self-explanatory! "You and I, on the other hand, we have a brotherly kinship going on."

Kagari looked away. "There remains much you don't know of me, and I of you."

"Exactly! That's why we should become brothers – the closest of friends," I asserted, pressing my hand against my heart and speaking in fervent tones. "You can confide in me about anything, and I can do the same with you. We can be there for each other. If one of us needs help with something, we can count on the other. We can hang out and do guy stuff together. It'll be between me and you – our own brotherhood pact!" I finished on a passionate note, enamoured with my vision of our relationship.

To my disappointment, my audience of one wasn't quite so receptive. "While I admit your idea is appealing," Kagari replied, tone wry, "I have one major point of contention."

I let out a heavy sigh. Whenever the Fire Sekirei was involved, I always managed to stuff up somehow. At least he didn't reject my idea in its entirety.

"Did I wrong-foot you again, Kagari?"

"In a way." He made a show of looking down his pyjama top, and I was once more reminded of the fact that Kagari had _breasts_. "'Brother' is technically incorrect."

_Yeah, brothers don't usually have breasts_, my inner voice piped up, causing me to smack my palm into my forehead. "God, I'm sorry! I completely forgot about that."

"That much is evident," he deadpanned, unamused.

I blinked; I didn't realise that my inattention to his – ahem – _less masculine _characteristics bothered him. "It's just that I've never thought of you as other than a man," I admitted. "I don't know what you're like in public, but you act like a guy when you're around me. I honestly don't think about the difference."

"Indeed." His frown made it evident that this was an important matter to him. What if he–?

"Would you… rather I did?" I offered tentatively, following through with that line of thought. "Notice the difference, that is?"

He considered my question for a moment. "Yes," he eventually replied, turning to look at me. There was acknowledgment in his eyes – I'd done something _right_. "But I'll leave that discussion for another night."

On my part, I was dumbfounded. Kagari no longer wanted me to look upon him as a man?

But everything about our relationship had been built on that premise! We were two guys – lone male comrades in a sea of gossipy females. We shared looks of exasperation whenever the others quibbled over something, we engaged in over-the-table conversation about work, science and politics, we watched each other's backs even as we kept our emotional distance. While said distance was a little _distant_ – pardon the pun – for my liking, it was an otherwise typical arrangement between two male friends: comfortable, cordial, and devoid of sexual tension.

To change my perception of Kagari's gender would add a different dimension to our interactions (which I didn't care to examine at the present moment). Provided that I was capable of performing the switch in the first place. The notion that Kagari was a man was well entrenched in my mind, after all. It would take more than mere words to make me see him differently.

Even so, I could entertain the idea on an intellectual level if nothing else. Suppressing the automatic reflex to brand myself a pervert, I considered his most prominent feminine asset: breasts. Did Kagari want me to look upon him as a woman, then?

Why did I get the feeling that _that_ wasn't the case, either?

Argh, to hell with it! My thoughts had been wrenched in enough directions tonight; surely my brain would implode if I pondered this matter any further. It wouldn't do to have Kagari scrape the remains of my skull off the walls, not when we'd finally made some progress towards getting to know each other.

If Kagari wished to make any further explanations, that was his responsibility. He _did_ say he'd continue that discussion another night, didn't he?

"Okay. You can tell me whenever you're ready."

"I see I've perplexed you," Kagari tilted his head towards me, a hint of apology in his tone. "The conclusion you've made about my gender is understandable. I am partly to blame; I have not made any clarifications on the subject."

"We're leaving that for next time, aren't we?" Try as I might, I couldn't conceal the groan in my voice.

He let out a wry chuckle. "Indeed. As for your proposal, it would be fine with the aforementioned amendment."

So he still wanted our brotherhood – minus the 'brother' part. Argh. "If only I'd realised this sooner," I whimpered, clutching my head in mortification. "Now I feel like a complete idiot."

"Silly Ashikabi," Kagari said affectionately; that expression was starting to sound like a nickname. Leaning forward, he gave me a few conciliatory pats on the shoulder. "You'll be fine. Now, I recall you wanted my advice about how to approach women?"

I perked up at this change of topic. No more confusing Kagari gender-bending business – at least for tonight. "T-That's right! Yeah, I'd appreciate any tips!"

"I have some you may find handy..."

* * *

The rest of the night passed in easy banter. I learned a great deal about women and the art of seduction; Kagari possessed a veritable wealth of knowledge and experience on the subject. While my admiration for him soared, I couldn't help but feel a little disheartened about my relative lack of sexual prowess. He never lorded it over me though, simply going through the particulars with a gentle patience that a master would direct towards his favourite disciple.

Afterwards, when we headed off to sleep, I gazed up at the ceiling and replayed the events of the evening in my mind.

Tonight's conversation had been disorientating, to say the least. We had leapt from the discussion about Kagari's previous life as a host, to my inability to cater for his partnership needs (my heart still ached from _that_), to my offering recompense for said inability, to my entertaining the foreign and out-of-the-blue notion that Kagari wasn't a man. My thoughts whirled around all these things, invariably returning to the concluding point:

Kagari wasn't a man.

Despite resolving not to do so earlier, I contemplated this statement. The physical evidence for it was irrefutable: Kagari had breasts and a figure with distinctive feminine curves, however slim. He'd even grown his hair to his shoulders and styled it accordingly, dispelling all chances to be interpreted as 'masculine'. His facial features were delicate, almost dainty: long, dark lashes framing wine-red eyes, an elegant mouth, a tapered chin. His contralto voice would best described as 'androgynous', but it verged on the female end of the spectrum whenever it climbed. From the viewpoint of a random stranger, Kagari was a woman, and a damn pretty one at that.

Argh, I did not just associate the words 'pretty' and 'woman' with Kagari! They felt so weird, so out of place – as though Kagari I knew had been replaced with this alien, _female_ creature.

_No more!_ I decided, putting the thought firmly out of my head. My mental circuits had been thoroughly scrambled tonight; at the rate I was going, I would work myself into a mental institution. Another time, he'd said. Another time we could begin reprogramming my perception of his gender – whatever the hell _that_ was.

With that resolution set, I turned onto my side and closed my eyes. In contrast to the turmoil I'd endured earlier, my sleep was peaceful and untroubled.

I woke to the morning light descending on my eyelids. After a moment of bleary rubbing, I opened them and discovered – to my lack of surprise and slight disappointment – that Kagari wasn't around this time, either.

As I'd expected, his futon was already packed up, stashed away in the corner. The window was open, letting in the stream of light that had roused me from my slumber. Once again, my coverlet had been drawn up to my shoulders, despite my well-documented habit of throwing it off during the night.

While I appreciated that tender gesture, the fact that he was absent for the second time couldn't be a coincidence.

I had never known Kagari to be an early riser, so it couldn't be that. Surely he wasn't avoiding me? He'd seemed fine in the morning after last week's encounter – if anything, he'd been friendlier._ Maybe he just needs some time to himself in the mornings_, I told myself.

Deciding to leave that question for later, I paid a visit to the bathroom and performed my morning ablutions. A quick return to my room later saw me changed into my favourite daywear: the ever-popular wagtail T-shirt standby and a well-worn pair of jeans.

It didn't take me long to find Kagari – he was sitting at the dining table. Before him lay a mug of coffee and an opened paperback, the latter of which he was perusing. Upon moving into our new residence, he'd taken up the habit of reading during breakfast.

He looked up from his book as I walked into the room. "Morning, Sahashi," he greeted.

"Morning, Kagari," I returned his greeting, taking a seat across the table from him. "You're certainly up early today."

He favoured me with a faint smile. "I admit I'm not used to sleeping with someone else in the room."

I felt myself cringe – that statement couldn't be anything but a polite way of saying that I had disruptive sleeping habits. A closer inspection of his face revealed the telltale circles of sleep deprivation around his eyes.

"Am I that loud of a snorer?" I groaned, sinking my face into my hands. "Is that why you weren't around – I kept waking you up?"

He chuckled at my crestfallen expression. "Not at all. It's–"

Any further explanation on his part was cut off by Matsu's sudden entrance. Ginger plaits swaying, the Brain Sekirei flounced into the dining room, an expression of merriment on her face. Someone was cheerful this morning.

"Good morning, Mina-tan!" she confirmed my observation, chirping in a voice as bright as Musubi's. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Morning, Matsu," I called back. "Yeah, I slept great!"

"No thanks to the efforts of our favourite Fire Sekirei here, eh?" She gave me a mischievous wink, indicating Kagari with a tilt of her head.

I blinked, uncomprehending; surely Matsu must know that nothing of a carnal nature took place between him and I? "Wha–?"

My inarticulateness only triggered a bout of giggles from her. With a grin too wide to be innocent, she turned her attention onto my companion. Placing her hands on Kagari's shoulders – which earned a grimace of annoyance from him – she bent down, brushing her lips against his ear.

"So tell me, Homura-tan," she purred, "How did the night go with our studly stud of a husband?"

He wrung his shoulders, shaking her off. "That's between Sahashi and myself."

"But I want to know all the juicy details," she wheedled, undeterred. "It'll give me ideas for later experiments…" A thought occurred to her, and her grin took on a maniacal edge. "Unless Homura-tan has something he wants to hide?"

"What?" His voice was sharp, and I noticed that his eyes had widened a fraction more than mere surprise would warrant. "There is nothing to hide!"

Matsu must have noticed this as well, for she pushed up her glasses in a triumphant motion. "You're acting quite jumpy for someone with nothing to hide," she challenged, smirking.

In response, Kagari gathered his aloofness around him like a cloak. "I see your depraved imagination has addled your perceptions," he scoffed, punctuating his chilly delivery with a sniff.

"Stubborn, aren't you?"

"No more than you are pushy."

"Fine, be that way!" Matsu pouted. "I'll just check last night's surveillance videos…"

Her eyes took on a glaze that indicated she was scanning her computers with her ability. She managed no longer than a second when the loud _snap_ of a shut book interrupted her. It was followed by the screech of a roughly pushed chair – Kagari had stood up. His hand snaked out, seizing her shoulder.

All pretence of coolness evaporated, Kagari loomed over the bespectacled Sekirei, using their five-inch height difference to his advantage. The glare he gave her was murderous. "If you mention even a _word_ about our evening, you might find more than your hair singed..." A small flame burst into existence in his other hand.

"Aha! So I was right!" Matsu crowed. Her moment of victory was short-lived however, as she became aware of the flame's increasing proximity to her person. "Uh," her eyes flitted around frantically, and there was a distinct tremor to her words, "aren't you going to put that away?"

"On the contrary," Kagari growled, moving said flame dangerously close to her plaits.

She gave a high-pitched yelp of fright, wrenching herself out of his grasp and scrambling backwards. "W-What happened to the Anti-Violence C-Clause?" she spluttered.

"No one said anything against making _threats_." He stalked towards her, brandishing the flame menacingly.

"Mina-tan!" the Brain Sekirei shrieked, shooting a panicked look in my direction. "HELP!"

"Kagari!"

My cry of his name jolted the Fire Sekirei back to his senses. Having frozen still, he was now staring at the flame in his palm, as though he hadn't been aware of his actions up till a moment ago. A pink hue suffused his otherwise ivory complexion, and he closed his fist, extinguishing the flame with a _whoosh_.

"My apologies, Sahashi," he submitted, his tone one shade away from 'mortified'. "I forgot myself."

On my part, I felt only bafflement. This was the first time in my entire experience with Kagari that I've had to call him out on misconduct. "It's not like you to lose your temper so quickly, Kagari," I breathed, unable to keep the surprise out of my voice.

"A momentary lapse," he conceded, lowering his eyes. "It won't happen again."

Deciding that staring at him wouldn't improve his state of mind (or provide any answers to my rapidly multiplying questions), I turned towards Matsu. In what was uncharacteristic behaviour for her, the bespectacled Sekirei remained silent. Instead, she was observing Kagari and I, her gaze darting back and forth between us. The playfulness and fright from a moment ago had vanished, replaced with a shrewd expression.

Okay, there was definitely something going on.

Before I could open my mouth to ask Matsu what that _something_ was, Tsukiumi burst into the scene. It was clear that she'd been making her way towards the kitchen; catching wind of the recent squabble between the two Sekirei had only hastened her approach.

"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded of the room at large, arms akimbo. "I thought I saw a flame, and I definitely heard Matsu scream. Homura," she rounded on the Fire Sekirei, "you're responsible for this, aren't you? Are you going against our husband's orders?"

Seeing Kagari's mouth tighten at Tsukiumi's words, I made the split-second decision to intervene on his behalf. "Don't worry, Tsukiumi," I cajoled, not eager to involve the pugnacious Water Sekirei in this little dispute, "I've put an end to it."

She harrumphed, still giving Kagari the suspicious eye. "If you say so, Husband. Since you three are already here," she continued, retrieving her apron from a nearby hook and turning towards the pantry, "I shall get started on breakfast."

The next minute was filled with the click-clacks of moving cookware and utensils as Tsukiumi busied herself in the kitchen. Believing the crisis averted, Kagari shot me a grateful look and reclaimed his seat opposite me. To his scowling chagrin, Matsu took the seat beside him. She proceeded to try and get his attention with whispers and pointed stares, but he had reopened his book and was now reading with a fierce determination, ignoring her.

I watched them, my bemusement soaring in the same fashion as my eyebrows.

Was Matsu correct? Was there something Kagari wanted to hide? What about last night's events was so incriminating that maintaining its secrecy would drive him to violence? It couldn't be about him wanting me to see him as other than a man. Hell, the others probably knew more about that than I did, if their numerous (failed) attempts to stuff him into a dress were any indication. However, we did discuss various techniques of seduction, most of which was tailored towards specific women in this household–

I gulped, sudden heat rising in my cheeks.

Matsu rounded on me in an instant. "Mina-tan, why are you blushing?"

I waved my hands in frantic denial. "It's n-n-nothing!"

"Who's blushing?" boomed Tsukiumi's imperious voice; she'd suddenly materialised at the dining table with a ladle in hand. In that moment, her resemblance to the landlady of Maison Izumo was so uncanny that me, Matsu _and_ Kagari all did a double take.

Indeed, Kagari wasted no time in pointing out this observation. "Tsukiumi, it's scary how much you look like Miya right now…"

The Water Sekirei blinked, taking the bait. "I look like Ooya-dono?"

In the background, I saw Matsu purse her lips in irritation. It dawned on me that Kagari was creating a diversion; perhaps he sought to repay the favour from before?

"It must be the ladle," he directed a canny little nod towards the item in question. "And the apron. And the fact that you'd practically teleported here…"

Tsukiumi frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe she's rubbed off on me more than I'd thought…"

"Are you sure that's a good thing?"

"What do you mean, that's _not_ a good thing?"

Sure enough, their exchange devolved into inane chatter about Miya's less endearing habits. Even Matsu joined in, lamenting the many occasions the infamous Hanya mask had interrupted her lofty undertakings (read: molestation attempts on me). Eventually, the initial point of interest – my blushing – was all but forgotten. While part of me was glad for this outcome, the rest was cowering in fear, expecting the landlady to appear at any moment. Nevermind the fact that she couldn't hear us; it was surely bad karma to gossip about someone like her–!

Having arrived at this same conclusion, Kagari decided to redirect the Water Sekirei's attention once more. "Tsukiumi, shouldn't you go back and check your cooking?"

Her eyes grew wide. "Oh. Y-You distracted me, Homura!" she pointed at the Fire Sekirei, who gave an unrepentant shrug in reply. "It'll be your fault if Minato's breakfast is ruined!" Turning to me, she bobbed her head in a quick bow. "Please excuse me, Husband."

With that, Tsukiumi scurried back to the kitchen.

Following her departure, Kagari shot me a glance. It was so brief that I almost missed it, but I caught something significant – almost _conspiratorial_ – in his gaze.

Somehow, I got the feeling that things would become very interesting from herein.


	5. To Forge by Fire, Part I

**A/N: **Thanks to my beta, Amputation, for being awesome.

This chapter is a long one by my standards. It contains an involved discussion about non-conforming gender identities. For those of you out there who identify with this, please note that I mean no offense. Minato is a typical cis-male, and any ignorance or presumptuousness on his part can be attributed to that fact.

Anyway, onwards!

* * *

**Chapter 4 – To Forge by Fire, Part I**

"Minato, dinner will be done in five minutes. Can you round up the others and set up the table?"

"No problem, Tsukiumi. I'll get onto it!"

"Kusano, what did I say about leaving your homework on the dining table, especially this close to dinnertime?"

"Oh, sorry! I'll clear it up right away!"

Tonight was Tuesday night – Tsukiumi's turn. Deciding to start off the evening on a high note, the Water Sekirei had prepared my most favourite stir-fry noodle dish: _yaki udon_. The kitchen and surrounding areas were filled with the delicious aromas of dashi stock, mirin and sautéed pork belly. One sniff of the air had me drooling in anticipation, and without further preamble, I headed off in search of our remaining housemates. Since only Kusano was present at the dining table (packing up her homework), this left Musubi, Matsu, Kazehana and Kagari.

I found Kazehana first. She was sprawled across the loveseat in the lounge, a fluffy feathered pen in one hand and her latest draft in the other. After a quick exchange, she set her things down, wiggling her curvaceous hips and behind as she sashayed out of the room. It took all of my willpower not to stand there and stare. Even in a situation as mundane as this, the Wind Sekirei knew how to make an exit.

Musubi was next. I found the Fist Sekirei in the backyard, practising her kata. Feet braced against the ground, she moved with a powerful yet precise fluidity, demonstrating the fantastic control she had over her body. I watched – _admired_ – her for a moment, then called out her name. Upon hearing the words '_yaki udon_', her eyes grew as shiny as coins, and she rushed off to the dining area without so much as a second glance.

Smiling at her single-mindedness, I carried on with my search. Since Kagari's room was closest to my current location, I decided to check if the Fire Sekirei was inside. Rapping thrice on the door, I called out, "Kagari! Dinner's ready!"

There was no reply.

I knocked again, calling more loudly this time, "Kagari, are you in?"

Silence answered me once more. I shrugged. He'd probably disappeared to another part of the house, and would show up sooner or later.

Matsu's room was linked to the same corridor, so I headed there next. I raised my hand, poised to knock when I noticed a sliver of light escaping through a gap – the door hadn't been closed all the way. This caught my attention, which was further heightened by the urgent murmur of voices – recognisable as Matsu's and Kagari's – coming from within. Curious despite myself, I pressed myself against the adjacent wall and tilted my ear towards the gap–

"–gave you the chance, Homura!" In her seriousness, Matsu had dropped the –tan suffix, her normally shrill voice giving way to a lower mezzo-soprano. "Why didn't you tell him?"

"I cannot," replied Kagari's contralto, his tone equally serious. "It's too early."

"After waiting for three years, you still say it's too early?" cried Matsu incredulously.

"He's not prepared to hear it," Kagari maintained, adamant as Matsu was incredulous. "And I'm not prepared to say it."

"How much longer will you continue to repeat that stupid rhetoric?" The Brain Sekirei's impatience was palpable.

"For as long as I must. I will not force–" Kagari cut himself off abruptly, as though he'd revealed something by accident. "Dammit Matsu!" he snapped. "I came here to talk about those surveillance videos. Don't change the topic!"

"I already told you, Homura," Matsu tried for a placating tone, "I'd keep your secret. We've been keeping each other's secrets for years!" Her voice took on an injured air. "Shouldn't you trust me by now?"

"He must never know about _that_," Kagari gritted out, ignoring her question. "It already pains me that _you_ know."

"I understand." There was a moment of silence in which I could sense Matsu's hesitation. "Do you want me to delete them?"

"Please do." The Fire Sekirei's voice was heavy with weariness. "I cannot afford an accident, however unlikely it might be."

"Very well then." For the next three seconds, the sound of clicking keys filled the air. "There, it's done."

"Thank you, Matsu," acknowledged Kagari. "Though, knowing you, there'd be some kind of backup file." He sighed.

The Brain Sekirei giggled in reply. "You _do_ know me too well, Homura." There was another brief moment of silence; I could picture her tapping a finger against her lower lip in thought. "You know, if he hadn't put the Schedule into place–"

I wrenched myself away from the door. Having received irrefutable evidence that they were talking about me, there was no way I could continue to snoop. As things were, I had already heard too much. If Kagari knew of my mishap, it would destroy the tenuous connection I had worked so hard to create in our past two weeks together.

This begged the question: how would I extricate myself from this situation? If I knocked now, it would become apparent that I'd been listening in. I'd never been any good at poker faces; I was too honest.

Wrecked with anxiety, I retreated a few steps. _That's a good start_, I thought hazily. It wouldn't hurt to put some distance between that door and myself–

"Mina-chan?"

I nearly leapt out of my skin; it was with considerable effort that I stifled the urge to let out an accompanying yelp. "Kuu-chan," I admonished, turning around to face my youngest Sekirei, "you gave me a fright!"

"Sorry, Mina-chan," she apologised, about to explain further when she caught sight of my face. Her eyes narrowed; I was undoubtedly wearing a guilty expression. "Is something wrong?"

"Well, I…" Unable to help myself, I cast a sidewards glance at Matsu's door.

Kusano followed my gaze, studying the panel of wood and the incriminating gap left between it and the wall. She then turned back to me. "You've been eavesdropping." There wasn't any accusation in her tone – she was simply stating a fact.

I sighed; I could never lie to those preternaturally wise eyes. "Yeah, I think I overheard something I wasn't supposed to know." My voice took on a wild, fluttery edge. "And if they f-figure out I've been outside–"

" –the consequences will be bad," she finished for me, her tone grave. "Very bad."

"Yeah." I sighed again.

It took her no more than a second to weigh the gravity of my dilemma. "I'll call them," she offered, her words like a shining beacon of salvation. "Why don't you head down to dinner, Mina-chan?"

I almost sobbed in gratitude. "Thank you, Kuu-chan."

My youngest Sekirei simply smiled at me – a soft, gentle curl of her lips. In that moment, I was struck by how much I loved her. Surprising even myself, I reached out and seized her in a tight embrace. She returned my affection eagerly, melding against me and burrowing her head into my collarbone. Her arms were squeezing my ribcage so hard that – combined with the bright, heart-strangling burst of my affection for her – I found it difficult to breathe.

After an all-too-brief moment, we let go of each other and parted ways. I made my slow, ambling return to the dining area, and she went off to brave the den of secrets that was Matsu's room. My heart was swollen with warmth and relief; my Kuu-chan loved me so much that she would do me even this favour.

Still, I couldn't resist the temptation to ponder the conversation I'd eavesdropped. What was Kagari so reluctant to tell me? And what was in those surveillance videos that he didn't want me to know?

My conscience surfaced before I could give these questions further consideration. Wasn't it bad enough that I'd overheard those details – details moreover, which could destroy our relationship if I revealed my knowledge of them? A man should have the liberty of keeping his secrets.

With that resolution ablaze in my heart, I hurried back to the dining table and let the smells of _yaki udon_ overwhelm my senses once more.

_That's right_, I decided. _Kagari can keep his secrets._

* * *

The rest of the week passed without event – insofar as the phrase 'without event' could apply to a household as crazy as mine. There were the usual wifely squabbles (most of which – to my amazement – ended as soon as I walked into the room), a hole in the back fence (Musubi had been a little overenthusiastic during a friendly spar with Tsukiumi) and a flowerbed that had miraculously sprung up overnight (courtesy of a sweet-smiling Kusano), but nothing otherwise unexpected.

Though they still remained in the realm of novelty, my nightly adventures (or _mis_adventures, depending on how one looked at them) were slowly becoming routine. My Sekirei had established their own norms: Musubi remained oblivious despite her knack for compromising situations, Kusano shared with me her love of nature, Matsu persisted with her debauched schemes, Tsukiumi revealed her rarely seen sweet and demure side, and Kazehana flaunted her womanly wiles like no tomorrow. This added to the flourishing sense of normalcy.

And so life went on.

Before I knew it, Saturday night had come around again.

As usual, Kagari made his request prior to dinner. He told me to meet him at the front gate at quarter-to-nine, a mere fifteen minutes after his turn officially began. He also said to dress appropriately for the weather. Did he plan for us to go out for the evening? I found the implications of _that _to be perplexing and a little nerve-wracking, though a small part of me felt excited as well.

When the appointed time arrived, I threw on a T-shirt, a comfortable pair of jeans, and – bearing in mind the breezy forecast – my favourite jacket before heading outside. Kagari was already waiting for me at our assigned location. He didn't seem to have noticed my presence; his attention was fixed on something in his palm. Recognising the rare opportunity for what it was, I took a moment to study him.

I had resolved to set aside all questions of Kagari's gender until he revisited the subject of his own volition. However, I'd underestimated the power of pervasive thought. Ever since he'd planted the notion in my head, I couldn't stop myself from becoming _aware_ of his less masculine characteristics.

During the course of the week, I'd taken to watching him, picking out occasions where he would express this hirtherto unrecognised – from my viewpoint, anyway – side of himself. I had known, in a distant sort of way, that he'd adopted new behaviours and habits. His public persona as a woman had to rub off somehow, right? But until now, I'd never paid particular attention to his hairstyles, choice of clothes, or the ways he'd talk, laugh, sit or otherwise conduct himself in front of others.

Throughout all this, he'd maintained his rigorous scrutiny of my person. Since we were both watching each other, it was inevitable that our eyes would meet. More often than not, before one of us would turn away, I would catch a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.

Could Kagari have intended for me to notice this _other_ side of him all along?

Standing before me as he did tonight, that seemed to be the case.

The Fire Sekirei was dressed in a well-tailored grey women's waistcoat, an off-white blouse with full-length sleeves and pleated cuffs, and low-riding black slacks of a rather snug variety. While aesthetically pleasing in and of themselves, the pieces combined well, complimenting his long, slender form. Even so, the waistcoat was – without question – the highlight of his outfit. It hugged his torso, drawing attention to the way his shoulders tapered to his narrow waist and flared out at his hips. Its deep neckline and angular cut also served to accentuate the curve of his breasts – not that I was looking _there_, of course!

Overall, Kagari's appearance came across as feminine, but not overtly so. His choice of attire was stylish and elegant in a way that suited him to a tee. If it weren't for the fact that I couldn't reconcile this image of Kagari with the one in my head, I would've said he looked _attractive_.

As I'd noted earlier, he was staring at something in his hand. From my vantage point, I couldn't make out any details beyond the colours of orange and silver. Intuition told me it was the same piece of jewellery I'd seen hidden under his pyjama top in our previous two encounters. So my guess was right – he was wearing a pendant. If his rapt expression was anything to go by, he must be incredibly attached to it.

A gentle breeze blew, sweeping his silver hair dramatically behind him. Cast in the moonlight as he was, I could picture Kagari as a lone romantic figure, reflecting upon a jewel that held his innermost sentiments–

I shook my head, abruptly ending that train of thought. Where did _that_ come from?

Deciding that I had dawdled long enough, I walked out to the Fire Sekirei. My sneakers made a soft _thud-thud_ against the pavement, alerting him to my presence. He twisted his neck, looking at me over his shoulder.

I stopped a few feet short of him, greeting him by way of a nod. "Kagari."

"Sahashi." He turned around to face me, closing his fist around the pendant and tucking it back into his cleavage at the same time. It was a perfectly innocuous motion, yet I found myself fighting down the sudden impulse to _stare_.

"You said to meet you here?" I asked hastily, seeking to cover up my near-blunder.

To my relief, the Fire Sekirei seemed too preoccupied to notice. "Yes. For tonight," he cast his gaze upwards and into the distance, "I would like for us to go someplace else."

_Ah_. While it was Kagari's prerogative to decide the specifics of his turn, his taking the initiative like this came as a surprise (though not an unwelcome one). Nevertheless, this strengthened my suspicion that it had something to do with his outburst at Matsu last Sunday – not to mention the conversation I shouldn't have overheard.

"Someplace where Matsu's cameras can't follow?" I threw out, testing the waters.

Kagari snapped his eyes back onto me; I noticed they had widened slightly. "Indeed."

"You're really bothered by her bad little habit, aren't you?"

His mouth tightened. "Who wouldn't be?"

While I understood his irritation at Matsu's unsavoury habit, I didn't see a point in getting worked up over something that was more or less harmless. The Brain Sekirei usually kept the details to herself (last Sunday being an exception).

"If my guess is correct," I replied evenly, "Musubi and Tsukiumi aren't even aware that her new surveillance system exists. As for the others, they don't seem to care."

A furrow had etched itself between his brows. "What about you?"

I gave him a smile that was part resignation and part nonchalance. "I guess I'll never have a moment of true privacy while I'm in the house. It's annoying, but I've gotten used to it, too."

Kagari let out a sigh. "It appears I'm alone on my stance," he muttered, sounding almost petulant.

"Listen, Kagari," I offered, spreading my palms in a sincere gesture. "Even putting up a united front, I doubt we can talk her out of a lifetime of spying. But we'll always have the option of venturing _outside_ her spy zone, won't we?" I shot him a conspiratorial grin.

His dark expression relaxed at my words. "You're right, Sahashi."

"So why don't you show me this special place of yours?"

Said special place was a little out of the way, as Kagari had put it. _For a Sekirei_, he'd added, his expression as close as it could come to sheepish. The only way to get there within a reasonable space of time was to have him carry me. Following a brief discussion on logistics – in which there were irritated protests, pained grumbles and red-faced spluttering on my part – we settled on a piggyback ride. After all, I refused to be hauled around like a sack of rice, have my arm dislocated, or endure the indignity of a bridal carry (surely he'd offered _that_ as a joke?).

Nevertheless, this arrangement made me feel uncomfortable in more ways than one. Common practice dictated that piggyback rides were offered to those of small stature – a child or a girl. I was neither of these. Not to mention Kagari stood a full four inches shorter than me, and was slighter of build to boot. However robust his Sekirei body might be, it was jarring to be carried in this manner, let alone having him bear my larger body and weight.

And this didn't even take into account the physical proximity involved.

Yes, I'd been in close contact with Kagari before. I'd even embraced him on a handful of occasions – our victory at the final confrontation of the Sekirei Plan was one of those. But aside the rare hand-squeeze or casual pats on the shoulder or back, ours was a 'minimal touch' relationship. Now that I have developed a new and – let's face it, _unsettling_ – awareness of his person, I was even more leery of touching him.

Apparently, I was not the only one to feel discomfited by this. The Fire Sekirei's expression was carefully schooled into blandness, but he gave an unmistakable twitch when I settled into position against his crouched back. No doubt he was as perturbed as I was by the sudden shift from cool night air to the press of warm bodies. He proceeded to interlock our elbows and knees in a quick, almost rough movement, rising onto his feet a second later.

Then all thoughts of personal discomfort dissipated as Kagari leapt into the night.

I had travelled alongside my Sekirei in the past, but those experiences did not dilute this one in any way. In short, it was _exhilarating_.

Kagari's athleticism was truly something to marvel at. Although I had an intellectual appreciation of his physical prowess – as I did of my other Sekirei – it was another thing to see, feel and _breathe_ it in action. His first leap cleared several houses along the street, and subsequent leaps only took us further. While he lacked Musubi's raw strength, he made up for it in technique, building up momentum until he could traverse a field in one bound.

The wind slashed across our faces, whipping my hair back and drowning out all other noise in a whistling cacophony. My eyes registered little beyond coloured lights; we were moving so fast that urban artefacts, rooftops and trees alike flew past us in a blur. Each breath brought in sweet, crisp air, and the cold sharpened my senses even as it left icy needles in my flesh – I could not be any more _awake_ if I'd tried. The sensations engulfed me; surely I would have lost myself in them without the reminder of Kagari's warm body against mine, the assuring flex and release of his muscles as he gathered energy for his next leap.

After a few minutes into our superhuman sprint, I realised that we were heading northwards towards the bay. Lamplight became sparser; soon enough, we left the sparkling capital behind, navigating through the dark under the sole guidance of moonlight. Clusters of buildings grew thinner, giving way to dirt tracks, copses of trees, and eventually rocky outcrops. A salty, humid fragrance encroached on the air, starting as a trace scent that gained presence until it all but filled my nostrils.

Several precise leaps later, we were there.

Our destination, as it transpired, was a large alcove in the beach-wide cliff face. The structure was mercifully free of jagged points; eons of exposure to the elements had worn the walls smooth.

Kagari crouched down, prompting me to unhook my limbs from him and clamber off. The loss of his body heat came not without regret; it was as though all the accumulated chill of our journey had doused me at once. Shivering, I folded my arms to preserve what little warmth I'd retained.

"A little out of the way, you said?" I quipped through numb lips. Rising to my full height, I studied the ceiling. It cleared my head by a good two feet. I wouldn't be bumping my head against it, at least.

"Just… a little," Kagari sounded short of breath. I immediately snapped my gaze back to him. He'd remained crouched, one hand braced against the ground, the other against his heaving chest. The alcove echoed with his gasps.

How could I not have noticed all the while?! "Kagari, that wasn't–" I started, stumbling over my words. "You didn't overexert yourself, did you?" I stretched out a concerned hand towards him.

To my surprise (and a little hurt), he knocked my hand away. "I might have… underestimated the distance," he panted, a defensive edge to his voice. "Please give me… a moment to recover."

Kagari's admission only fuelled my worry for him. Grasping his shoulders, I pulled him upright into a nearby beam of moonlight. He froze like a startled rabbit, whereby I took the opportunity to examine his face. The brightness was just enough to make out a flush across his cheeks, and his irises were emitting a brilliant red glow of their own. As if _that_ wasn't alarming enough, they had also thinned into rings, almost swallowed by the pupils within. Moving by instinct, I clapped my hand against his forehead – and nearly snatched it back.

"You're hot! You're burning up!"

My exclamation jerked the Fire Sekirei out of his stupor. Growling, he seized my wrist and pulled it away to the side. The glare he directed at me was intense, ablaze with emotion: anger, mortification and something dark and primal. Then, realising what he was doing, he wrenched his eyes away, stepped backwards and whirled around in quick succession. My eyes fell upon his back – it was so rigid it might as well be a wall.

I massaged my discarded wrist, feeling rather injured and more than a little bewildered. Although the exchange had taken no more than five seconds, it'd left me teeming with questions. For one, what was the hell was _wrong_ with him? For another, what was _that _all about? Yes, I was guilty of invading his personal space, but this was clearly an overreaction!

"Kagari?"

"I am not feverish… or sick," he gritted out, managing a stiff tone in spite of his laboured breathing. "Just winded. Being a Fire Sekirei… my body temperature is… higher than most. This is nothing."

Even if I could believe that excuse about his body's unique thermoregulation, it did not make his breathless state any less troubling. "And wearing yourself out like this is nothing?" I said incredulously.

"Trust me," he panted, bracing a hand against the nearest wall. "A minute… is all I need."

I didn't understand. Why was he being so defensive? And why was he so averse to have me touch him?

Sekirei or no, Kagari's body had limitations. If anything, he recognised that fact the most keenly out of my Sekirei. For what reason would he try – and fail – to prove that he was unaffected by his exertions? Surely he knew that exhaustion would be the outcome when he'd elected to travel at breakneck pace. Why would he overlook this detail, only to be ashamed of it afterwards? It didn't make any sense at all!

Worst of all, if he were doing this because of _me_–

"Kagari, I'd rather not have you kill yourself on my account!"

My passionate outcry gave him pause, and I felt his hostile aura melt away into the night breeze. "I won't," he assured me. "Besides, the absence of Matsu's cameras… is worth it. As is the view." He gestured towards the entrance of the alcove. "Take a look for yourself."

Reigning in the impulse to sigh, I turned in the direction he'd suggested instead. In his stubbornness, Kagari had insisted that his condition would improve if left alone. There was little I could do but accept his request and give him space. Any further worrying on my part would only cause the prickly Fire Sekirei to retreat into himself – and I couldn't have that.

On the other hand, he was right about the view. 'Enchanting' could only begin to describe the sight that graced my eyes. I wasn't normally given to poetry, but to describe it otherwise would despoil the beauty that lay before me.

There were no clouds tonight. Untainted by the city's artificial glow, the stars could clearly be seen, dotting the indigo sky like so many glittering diamonds. The full moon formed the centrepiece of the scene, a perfect circle that lit both heaven and sea in a burst of silver radiance. Beneath lay waves, undulating gently as they rose up one after another to receive the moonlight. Thus ensorcelled, they began their journey towards the shores, washing up against sand and rock before receding into the dark water whence they came.

"It's beautiful out here," I said after a minute. "I can see why you like this place."

It seemed that a minute was enough time for Kagari to catch his breath. Walking out to the alcove entrance, he stopped a foot or so short of the edge. Here, he plopped down, folding himself into a cross-legged position.

"I like to come here to think," he said, his gaze fixed upon the moonlit ocean. "The whisper of the waves, the breeze against my skin, the smell of the salt air – it's soothing. And when the moon alights on the water, it looks like the world _shimmers_."

Now certain of his mood, I moved to sit down beside him, sprawling out my legs and leaning back on my arms. While I agreed wholeheartedly with his words, I also understood that this place was sacred, beyond the reach of ordinary people.

"It's practically inaccessible, though," I went on to illustrate my point. "There's no way I'd be able to get here without help from one of you, even with a helicopter."

"Yes." There was a faraway quality to Kagari's voice. "That's part of its charm – only birds can reach this place."

We sat in comfortable silence, admiring the view together. Eventually, I found my attention drifting to my companion. His earlier tension had disappeared, replaced with a relaxed, almost lazy expression. I had never seen Kagari so peaceful; it meant that this place could be none other than his sanctuary. For one as reclusive as the Fire Sekirei, bringing me here was tantamount to showing trust – a great deal of it – in me.

I decided to express my appreciation of the matter. "Thanks for sharing this place with me, Kagari."

"My pleasure," he replied easily. After a long pause, he continued, "I think I understand now, why you decided to include me in the Schedule."

"Oh?"

He turned his wine-red eyes onto me, a gentle fire glowing in their depths. "We wouldn't be here if it weren't for you, would we?"

"Yeah," I agreed, reminiscing about our first encounter, where Kagari had opened his door only to engage in an awkward staring contest with me. "We've come a long way in three weeks."

There was a wistful curve to his lips. "Sitting by the water's edge, watching the ocean… I never thought I'd be doing this with you."

"Me neither. But I don't dislike it." Suddenly sheepish, I reached for the back of my head. "Even though it kinda feels like a date."

Unlike me, Kagari didn't seem at all perturbed by the implications of my last statement. "That's what these nights are supposed to be, aren't they?" he said, to my surprise.

"I g-guess?" I stuttered, scratching harder at my scalp. "It just feels… I dunno, _weird_ thinking of it in that context."

"The homoerotic connotations bother you?" he asked, tilting his head curiously.

I gave an awkward little laugh. "Yeah, that's one way to put it."

He looked down, folding his hands into his lap – a distinctly feminine gesture that was made all the more feminine with his following words. "Perhaps it would help if you didn't think of me as a man." His voice was quiet, and if I didn't know better, I would've said he felt _shy_.

"I-I don't know…" I fumbled for the right thing to say, feeling very out of my element. "It's really confusing. I've spent the past four years thinking of you that way. It's hard to get out of that mindset, you know?"

His replying nod was sympathetic, which struck me as odd. "I understand. It was hard for me to get out of that mindset, too."

"Is that because your body–" I started.

"–permanently adopted female characteristics?" he finished for me. His hand drifted to his chest, brushing over the curve thoughtfully. Again, it took an enormous effort on my part not to stare. "Yes, looking like a woman can be very inconvenient when you've gone about your life as a man."

Guilt washed over me like a tidal wave. "If only I weren't your–"

"For god's sake, stop that, Sahashi," Kagari interjected, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "I have no regrets, and I'd rather you didn't either. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead. Between looking like a woman and being dead," he continued wryly, "I find looking like a woman preferable."

"I'm not sure if every guy out there can say the same thing," I muttered. Well, given the perverted minds of heterosexual men – of which I was no exception – most would find it entertaining to prance around in a woman's body. For a day, perhaps. But for the rest of their lives? "At least, not in the long run."

The Fire Sekirei shrugged. "It's not like I wasn't used to the physical changes. Prior to my release, my sex was constantly fluctuating, remember?"

I recalled that particular detail only too clearly – _poor_ Kagari. "Yeah, I remember. Even so, you've had to change your life around after having gone about it as a man. With a feminised body, you couldn't continue your career as a host–"

"That's where you're mistaken," he corrected me. "I could've continued; I chose not to. Being a host was a means to an end. When I found my Ashikabi – you – there was no longer any incentive to remain in that line of work."

"You couldn't continue your career as a _male_ host, then," I persisted, laying a heavy stress on the word. "Nor could you take up any occupation that required a male-specific role."

"Not a male host, no," he conceded. "But I could still present as a man for other male occupations. I'd have to bind my chest, and avoid situations where people could see me undressed." He gave a careless wave. "It'd be something of a nuisance, but hardly a difficult feat."

"Yeah, I noticed the times you did that," I said, casting my mind back to our first year post-Sekirei Plan. I saw precious little of Kagari then, but he was much like the person he'd been when I first met him – indisputably a man. "But you gave it up after a while."

Kagari nodded. "Those were the early days. Back then, I had tried to slip back into my old life. Although I couldn't resume my previous title as a host, I'd thought that I could still salvage some parts of my male identity."

"But it didn't work, did it?" The following year had seen his wardrobe overhauled, after all. Even if I hadn't been paying careful attention, I didn't miss the women's overenthusiastic chatter about Kagari 'coming over to their side'.

"Indeed," he confirmed, studying the cuff of his left sleeve. "I felt out of place; things didn't fit like they used to. I had changed. I wasn't really a man anymore, however much I pretended to be one." He finished his sentence in a heavy, ironic sigh.

His words perplexed me – they'd made it sound as though some unknown force had altered Kagari's perception of himself. "What do you mean by that?"

"When I reacted to you, my body wasn't the only thing that changed," the Fire Sekirei explained. "It took time, and I didn't even realise until I looked back on my past self, but I'd picked up other things. Mannerisms. Ways of thinking. Ways of dressing." He picked at the fabric of his cuff, whether as a subconscious gesture or to emphasise his point, I didn't know.

Although I acknowledged that this explanation best accounted for the differences in his behaviour, it genuinely surprised me. Wasn't I the one who'd said that Kagari could stay Kagari? "You're saying the changes applied to your psyche as well?"

"Indeed." He turned to face me, meeting my eyes with intent wine-red ones. "Would _you_, as a man, adopt behaviours normally associated with the opposite sex?"

It was a rhetorical question that made me realise the stupidity of my earlier statement. _Of course his psyche had changed, you idiot_, I reprimanded myself. How could Kagari successfully carry out an ongoing persona as a woman if being one lay far outside his true identity? The Fire Sekirei was no government agent, and even spies would have difficulty posing as a member of the opposite sex.

"You have a point," I sighed. "But this makes it seem like you've been forced to become… something else against your will."

"A quirk of my body's design, I'm afraid," Kagari replied with a sardonic smile. "I did mention that I would imprint very strongly on the desires of my Ashikabi – so much so that my gender would change to suit your preferences."

"So I've subconsciously willed you to become a woman?" I concluded, horrified at this. "Not just in appearance, but also in your head? Even though I said I wanted you to remain yourself?"

"Not entirely." With two simple words, Kagari managed to bring me relief, which was further reinforced by the rest of his speech. "My feminisation isn't complete – in that sense, I am still myself. There are still parts of me that qualify as male."

"Parts of you that qualify as male?" My mind leapt to the most obvious answer: he'd kept the Equipment. "Are you saying that you still have–"

"–a penis? Yes," he said bluntly. His expression then turned dark. "Believe me, Sahashi, you wouldn't be sitting here tonight if you'd taken that away – my Ashikabi or no."

In other words, he would've murdered me. However, this ominous threat did not make me cower in fear; instead, it cemented my sense of relief. I might have brought about his feminisation, but I did not erase this essential part of his masculinity. Having already bollocksed so many things with the Fire Sekirei, I didn't need another sin hanging over my conscience.

"I'm relieved to hear that, actually," I admitted. "By being your Ashikabi, I've already forced you into a difficult situation. There's no way I could forgive myself if I'd also taken away your manhood –" my eyes lowered in shame, "– what little remains of it, that is."

"You and I both, Sahashi," he agreed, his tone still dark.

I hung my head. "It'd be like I couldn't have insulted you more if I wanted to."

"Indeed. But now that you understand that," Kagari said, his voice becoming gentle, "there's no need to punish yourself further. Clearly, your feelings have allowed me to retain this part of myself."

Feeling grateful that he'd absolved me of this matter, I lifted my head and gave Kagari a warm smile. "Yeah, I'm glad they did." Then, a question occurred to me – if Kagari had kept his man parts, how much of his body was actually female? "Still, it makes me wonder…"

Kagari zoned in on my thoughts straightaway. "Let me guess," he said, amusement twinkling in his eyes, "you want to know the extent to which I've been feminised?

_How the hell did he–_ "I d-didn't say that!" I waved my hands frantically in denial, my cheeks growing warm. "Y-Y-You put those words in my mouth!"

His eyes twinkled more, if that was possible. "Silly Ashikabi, you're practically twitching with curiosity."

I sighed. "Am I that obvious?"

"You've always been perfectly transparent," he replied, his voice rich with combined amusement and fondness. "It's an endearing quality of yours."

That sounded very much like a compliment. "I s-suppose?" I stammered, blushing and rubbing the back of my head. "Anyhow, are _you_?" This, I directed at the Fire Sekirei, hoping that he'd grasp my implied question and explain without further elaboration on my part.

No such luck. Moreover, my efforts had backfired, if that smirk on Kagari's face was any indication. "Am I _what_?" he drawled, dragging out last syllable into something obscene.

I groaned. What was it about my Sekirei that made them prone to deriving entertainment at my expense? "Why must you make me say it?!"

Kagari imitated a thoughtful pose, cupping his chin and tilting his head. "Well, beginning and ending a question with 'are you' leaves too much room for interpretation, wouldn't you say?"

I groaned again; trust Kagari to make a clever comeback. "Fine!" Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself and blurted, "Are you also a – a… g-g-_girl_ down there?" My cheeks felt like they'd been set alight.

At this, the Fire Sekirei lost all semblance of control and burst into laughter.

"Hey, it's not funny!" I protested, my face flaming hotter.

"On the contrary," Kagari got out between guffaws. He then paused and eyed me, his smirk turning _wicked_ – so much so that I found myself recoiling backwards. "So Sahashi, what do you mean by g–"

"You can't possibly be that cruel!" My voice had risen to a high-pitched – and very _unmanly_ – wail. Not that it mattered now; I had already forfeited all my dignity. "Having to say t-t–" I gesticulated wildly, "_–that_ was embarrassing enough!"

The Fire Sekirei let out several more sniggers, making me wish I could sink into the ground and disappear. Nevertheless, underneath my injured pride and mortification, I was glad to see him like this. There was something genuine about the way he laughed. It was unhindered, full of delight, free from the burdens that plagued his heart and shaped his too-serious countenance.

If I were honest with myself, I wouldn't mind hearing Kagari laugh more often. Not at my expense, though – that would be asking for too much!

Eventually, Kagari took pity on my sulking form and raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture. "Alright, I'll stop," he relented, amusement still twinkling in his eyes. "To answer your question: yes, I have both male and female genitalia."

Having my curiosity sated did not dispel my fluster. If anything, I blushed more furiously – here I was, thinking about Kagari's privates! While it presented an intriguing mental image – _damn male hormones _– nothing could be more inappropriate right now–!

"I s-see," I stuttered, groping around in my mind for ideas, expressions – _anything_ to banish my unbidden train of thought. "So t-that means you're not completely male or completely female. Hang on," I turned to the Fire Sekirei, "what does that make you?"

"Exactly what you'd just said." Kagari's voice was sure and intent; he had regained his sobriety. He fixed his wine-red gaze upon me, and I knew, without question, that his next words were of utmost importance. "I am neither man nor woman, and both at the same time."

_Neither man nor woman, and both at the same time._

So I was right. Kagari didn't want to be seen as a man – or a woman. He wanted me to see him as merely _himself_.

But I had no concept of what that entailed.

Everything I knew and understood about human social interaction revolved around the principle of two binary genders. One was either a man or a woman. The way people behaved towards and treated one another depended on the category they fell under. A man treated a fellow man differently to the way he would treat a woman, and vice versa.

Truth be told, I knew only how to treat Kagari as a man. I had less idea of how to treat Kagari as a woman, and still lesser idea of how to treat him as someone who fell _outside_ both categories.

Still, this didn't explain why his public persona was female.

"If that's the case, why do you dress and act like a woman in public?"

In reply, the Fire Sekirei gave me a look that said it would be a long answer. My reply to this was to emulate his cross-legged position and angle my body towards him, showing that he had my full attention.

Satisfied with my response, Kagari launched into his tale:

"At first, it was a matter of ascertaining my true identity. I needed to know if being a woman was who I had become. Having already adopted some feminine mannerisms, I decided to take the next step and go the entire way. So I tried on woman's things: clothes, shoes, cosmetics, accessories – the lot. But it wasn't a perfect fit either. Some clothes felt like they belonged on my body, but I hated the looks other men were giving me.

"Then there's the matter of gender interpretation. In this society as we know it, there are two mainstream genders: man and woman. The idea of a third, in-between gender – _my_ gender – is still new and unfounded. For the sake of blending in, I had to choose between 'man' and 'woman'. Indeed, things might have been easier if I had chosen to stay a man. But as we've already established, it didn't feel completely right. Nor did 'woman' for that matter. Nevertheless, I settled on 'woman' in the end."

With that, Kagari folded his hands in his lap, signalling that he'd reached the end of his speech. I sat still for a moment, digesting his words.

So, this was what formed the crux of Kagari's gender crisis. He possessed a third gender that combined male and female traits. I didn't understand the entirety of this concept, and I probably never would. But I did understand one thing: Kagari hadn't found a place in society where he belonged.

"Let me get this straight. You're neither man nor woman, but you choose to play the part of a woman."

"Correct."

"Doesn't that feel, well, _wrong_?" I wiggled my fingers in a shuddering motion.

Kagari gave me an appreciative smile; perhaps it gladdened him to see that I was finally catching on. "It's like wearing a half a mask," he explained. "One that reveals my female side but conceals my male side. I won't deny that it's tiring to maintain the pretence – to express only half of who I am. But everyone at home knows the real 'me'. Within the safety of our house, I can still be myself."

_Everyone at home but me, it seems_, I thought humourlessly. God, I was truly _that_ oblivious.

"I'm glad you have at least that much," I sighed, thankful that my other Sekirei weren't as lacking as I was in the 'perceptive' department. "But I still don't understand. Why go through the trouble of posing as a woman?" I wrinkled my brow, perplexed at this question. "You could've picked either 'man' or 'woman'. So why not 'man'? Even if it doesn't feel completely right, it would've been easier – you said so yourself!"

Kagari closed his eyes, his smile turning wry. "I guess you won't be satisfied until you hear the entire truth, eh?"

"The entire truth?" As I'd surmised, there was more to the story – but it obviously wasn't something he was comfortable divulging. "Well, you don't have to tell me if you don't wa–"

He held up a hand to forestall me. "Sahashi Minato, I _do_ want to tell you this. The real reason why I decided to overhaul my male identity and re-establish myself as a woman."

The Fire Sekirei stilled, taking several deep breaths. When he finally spoke, I could tell that each and every one of his words had cost him a significant effort. "It's straightforward – it's because I'm married to you. It may be a marriage in name only, but it's the only thing I have. Without you," his voice rose with emotion, "I am nothing – I wouldn't even be alive! If I were recognised as a woman, I would be counted amongst your wives! This would mean that I–"

–_belong with you._

He hadn't said the words outright, but I heard them as clear as day.

"You want to… _belong with me_?" I spelled out Kagari's unspoken confession, causing his eyes to snap wide. "Is this why you were so insistent that I maintained our pledge of 'forever and ever' to you?"

He looked away, as though he were ashamed of himself. "Yes."

For my part, I was stunned. Kagari took on the mantle of womanhood just so he could find acceptance in my eyes?

Seized by a sudden, fierce possessiveness of him, I reached out and took hold of the Fire Sekirei's shoulders. "But Kagari, don't you see?" I cried, peering into his bewildered face and praying that he could see the sincerity in my gaze. "You will always belong with me! You will always have a place by my side. I'd never abandon you just because you're not a girl!"

His wine-red eyes were enormous, having widened as far as they could go. "Sahashi…"

I let go of him. "I'd never abandon you, Kagari," I repeated firmly, my heart still thrumming with the ferocity of my emotions.

"I believe you." His quiet admission calmed me, but I could hear in his voice a hint of doubt, which manifested further with his next words. "Still, there's no denying that you prefer women. My body – even my mind – changed because of that."

At this, I felt anger well up inside me – anger at him for accepting the changes, anger at myself for inflicting upon him the agony that came along with said changes. "Doesn't this very fact bother you?" I exclaimed, clenching my fists. "Don't you hate me for forcing you to become, well – _this_?" With a rough gesture, I indicated his body.

Kagari averted his gaze, hesitating. "I did for a time, yes."

"That's what I'm trying to–"

"I have no regrets, remember?" he interrupted, turning back to face me. His eyes were twin flints of determination. "Just like accepting that you're a man, presenting as a woman – it's something I've come to terms with." His tone softened, becoming pensive. "It's quite an enlightening experience, actually. Having now walked in the shoes of a man _and_ a woman, I've gained a better perspective on things."

How could he forgive me so easily? "It's still a sacrifice," I maintained fiercely, "however you put it!"

In response, Kagari leaned towards me and – to my unprecedented surprise – took my hand into his own. His wine-red eyes locked onto mine, blazing with such intensity that it took me aback. "There are times when we have to make sacrifices." In contrast to his eyes, his voice was calm. "It's never easy to do so, but it makes life all the more worth living."

Unable to bear the weight of his gaze, I looked away. "Is life worth living when you can never be completely happy?"

Instead of adhering to his sombre, realist nature, Kagari said something I'd never expected to hear. "Time may change that yet."

"That's… strangely optimistic, coming from you," I breathed, astonished.

"I have reason to hope." Bending down, he brushed his lips over my knuckles. The contact was electric, sizzling up my arm in flash of overstimulated nerves.

_What the hell was that?!_

Alarmed, I wrenched my hand back, giving several awkward coughs in the process. My heart rate had accelerated all of a sudden, and my mind was racing. This _reaction_, it couldn't possibly mean what I thought it meant, that Kagari and I had some sort of physical chem– Nononononono! I was treading on too dangerous mental ground as is; I had to change the topic!

Fortunately for me, the subject of pronouns popped into my head, and I seized upon it for dear life. "So uh, you're um… n-neither man nor woman, right?" I blurted. "If that's the case, how should I address you? Which pronoun do I use? Male or female? Or something else?"

Kagari, who'd been watching me with a veiled expression, shrugged his shoulders. "Whichever one you're more comfortable with," he returned, unexpectedly casual.

He was offering me the luxury of choice? This presented an interesting situation. Curious – and more than a little desperate to distract myself – I tried associating the Fire Sekirei with female pronouns.

Kagari was a 'she'. _She_ was Sekirei number six. _Her_ powers were fire. _She_ was quiet, reserved, aloof. _Her_ usual pose was to lean against the wall with _her_ arms crossed. _She_ didn't like spinach–

It didn't fit.

"I can't picture you as a 'she'," I admitted at last. "It doesn't sound right."

Kagari shrugged again. "Then call me 'he'. Honestly, it doesn't matter which one you use. Strangers call me 'she'; the others call me 'he'. I'm accustomed to both."

I, on the other hand, was baffled – not to mention a tad disappointed – by his nonchalance. "It does matter!" I insisted. "I greatly respect you as a ma–" I nearly slipped, correcting myself with a wince, "–as a _person_. I want to show you that respect – even in a small way, like describing you by the pronoun you prefer."

He looked at me, his gaze soft with intermingled fondness and exasperation. "Silly Ashikabi. All I ask is that you differentiate me from the others." A furrow formed between his brows. "I will not be lumped in with that brood of hens who keep clucking over you."

"Well, I'm glad you don't–" I chuckled, borrowing his less-than-complimentary expression, "–_cluck_ over me, that is. 'He' it is."

"Then I'm also fine with that."

"To be fair, I'm not the only one that 'brood of hens' cluck over," I pointed out, making light conversation. "I remember a handful of occasions where they tried to stuff you in a dre–"

"Please don't remind me about _that_," he cut me off, groaning.

"But you'd probably look good in a dress," I teased.

"Not you too, Sahashi!" he cried, spots of pink appearing on his cheeks.

I held up my hands, signalling a ceasefire. "Easy, Kagari. I was just kidding!"

His response was to shoot me a flat, unamused glare, and I couldn't help but crack a few giggles. It was due time that the Fire Sekirei had the tables turned on him for a change.

Sobering, I continued, "You know, I really admire you for it. Being able to make the change into a woman, even though it doesn't fit you completely. I don't know if I'd be able to do it were I in your shoes. It would be so hard. I wouldn't know what to do with myself. It wouldn't know how to speak, how to act, what to wear. It'd be like I was thrown into an alien world."

"It was like that in the beginning," Kagari replied, turning his gaze upon the full moon. "I'm glad those days are long past. Now it's as normal as eating breakfast in the morning. You get used to things after a while."

Hearing these words only made my heart swell further with admiration for the Fire Sekirei beside me. "Kagari," I called out his name softly.

"Yes?" He returned his attention to me.

"You're an incredible person, do you know that?"

He blushed prettily – and in light of our most recent discussion, I found that the word 'pretty' suited him just fine. "Thank you, Sahashi."


End file.
